My Words, Your Words
by the sound of the bells
Summary: There is a girl who is a fan of the Bladebreakers, but she doesn’t like Kai at all. How will they get along when she is a maid working at Kai’s mansion? Other than that, there is this new enemy who is after Kai's team.
1. The Weird Feeling of Fate

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

­­­**------**

**My Words, Your Words**

**_Story written by: _the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 1 – The Weird Feeling of Fate**

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Tyson's mouth opened widely as he laughed. He was standing in front of a blue mansion, which had three floors. He was carrying his bag over his shoulder and the other hand was carrying a big suitcase. "Finally! I'm moving in this mansion!" Tyson was eighteen now, so he moved out of the dojo and moved to America. Of course, after his four years of college he will return back in Japan where his grandfather lives and inherit the dojo. That's what he had planned anyway.

"Yo Tyson!" Someone called happily.

The happy-go-lucky blue haired boy looked at the blond boy who was waving at him. "Hey Max!" Tyson waved back, hurrying up to his American friend. "You're here already?" Tyson asked, standing in front of Max after running.

Max nodded as they did a high-five. "Yeah. I do live close here after all," he chuckled, taking Tyson's suitcase. Max looked behind Tyson and then around the area. There was a fairly large lake beside the blue mansion and around it were rounded rocks. On the other side of the mansion was a large garden. There were also trees circling around the whole entire place too and a few cherry trees that were blooming. Max looked back at Tyson. "Where's Kenny? Did he really decide not to come?" he inquired.

Tyson sighed sadly. "Yeah. He said that his parents wouldn't allow him to come along and stay in Kai's mansion." Tyson then quickly smiled. "But he'll come here in the next two years! I can't wait until he comes!" He danced around, cheerfully.

"Hey, that's great!" Max smiled widely. "But then that means you guys only have two years together here since you're heading back to Japan when you finish attending college."

Tyson smirked, nodding. "True… but I can still stick around for two more years until Kenny graduates." He just thought that up about right now, but hey it works for Tyson's plans.

Max laughed, "I guess you're right." He turned around, walking towards the mansion. "Come on, let's go see Kai so you can get your room and move your stuff in."

"I don't think we need him to decide what room I should get," Tyson thought out loud. "But I wouldn't really care anyway because I'm living in this mansion! Yes!" The blue haired boy followed his blond friend. "Say, is Ray here yet?" Tyson asked when they opened the doors. He hadn't heard Ray's voice when he came. No warm welcome from Ray? Why?!

"Nope, he's not here yet," Max said, turning around to face Tyson. "Ray was supposed to make here before you, but I guess his airplane got delayed. Who knows when he will come?" He shrugged and continued to walk.

Tyson sighed again, "Too bad." He looked around the place, while they were walking up the stairs. The living room was to their right and the dinning room to their left. Tyson couldn't wait until he explores the whole mansion! He stopped walked up the stairs and saw Kai, who had his arms crossed, standing at the top of the stairs. "Hello, Kai!" Tyson waved at him.

"So, Tyson's here, huh?" Kai raised one of his eyebrows. "That was fast." To tell you the truth, Kai never really wanted Tyson and the others living here for the four years. Max, Tyson, and Ray are even going to the same college as he is! Kai could have chosen to go to another college that accepted him, but he liked where he was going. So Kai can't really complain about it. They're eighteen now, so his friends shouldn't be acting childish anymore. But he gets the feeling that it will be irritating living with the three of them.

"That's not a way to say 'hi' back," Tyson pouted at him. "And what kind of welcome is that?" Max and Tyson got to the top of the stairs as Kai walked away, showing Tyson his room. _He's still cold as ever._ Tyson thought, rolling his eyes.

"Just be glad that I'm allowing you to stay here," Kai told him. "But if you're staying here, you're paying too."

Max and Tyson followed him. "I know that!" Tyson slapped his forehead. "We already talked about that last month!" Tyson knows better than that, since he's living here now. He had become more mature over the years now, but Kai still treats him like Tyson doesn't know anything!

"You better find a job then," Max advised Tyson, chuckling. Kai and Tyson are funny when they talk to each other like that. It just amuses him. To Max, it shows how much they all care for each other, no matter what they said to each other.

"Yeah, yeah," Tyson nodded back and forth. He stopped walking and looking around. "Hey, Kai," the blue haired boy walked up to him. "Don't you have butlers or maids here?" Tyson asked. It's just that he didn't see any of them when he first entered the mansion.

Kai stopped walking and looked at him. "No," he said.

Tyson opened his mouth in shock. "What?! Why not?" he asked.

"I have a butler and a maid," Kai replied, walking down the hall.

"Huh?" Tyson blinked, confused.

Max smiled. "Kai doesn't have butlers or maids. Just one butler and one maid," he explained.

"What?" Tyson was even more confused. That doesn't make any sense. This was a huge mansion and there is only two people working here? What up with that? Tyson stared suspiciously at Kai when he stopped walking again, facing the two of them. Nothing was suspicious, but Tyson feel like making funny faces to annoy Kai.

Kai looked back at his two friends. "I have been really busy so I didn't have the time to hire people to work here," he first explained. "You can't expect me to waste my time finding people like that."

"You're not going to waste your time at all!" Tyson waved his arms in the arm, thinking Kai is getting useless. He couldn't even find enough people for his own mansion that he got last year, which Kai brought for himself at that time. Maybe Kai only hire two people because he thought he would be living by himself, alone in this huge mansion. "Looking for more people is MORE important! You're rich now, aren't you?!" Tyson shouted.

Max laughed nervously. "Actually, Tyson, I tried to look for more people myself, but no one wants to work here, or at least I think so. I even sent flyers around the whole city!" It seems kind of strange because it's a big city and there's no one who wants to work in the mansion. Maybe all of the people like their own jobs already and doesn't want to be a butler or a maid.

Kai sighed and opened one of the doors in the hall. "Anyway, this is your bedroom, Tyson." Kai said, walking away back where they came from.

"Where are you going, Kai?" Max asked as Tyson walked into the room.

"I have other things to be done," Kai said without turning back.

Max was going to ask one more thing, but hesitated. Kai might snap since he's still not opening himself as much to them yet. And Kai still gives the cold shoulder too. Max turned to see what Tyson was doing. The blue haired boy was jumping around the room, looking dreamily. Max sweat dropped, "Eh… I'll see you later then, Tyson." He set Tyson's suitcase by the door. "I happen to have things to do too."

Tyson turned his attention to his blond friend. "Okay. I will just quickly unpack everything and take a tour around this place."

"Sounds like a good idea," Max gave him a thumps-up. "Later!" He smiled, hurrying towards the stairs.

Tyson walked out of them room. "Later, Max!" he shouted happily. Tyson went back into his room, his hands on his sides. He smiled, feeling really excited. "I get the feeling that this will be a nice, long, fun six years here."

----

In the afternoon, people were walking around the city along the sidewalk and cars drove in the streets. There was a girl with teal hair that reached to her waist, she standing in the lobby of a building that helps you find jobs. She brushed her bangs away from her pale green eyes, staring at the flyers on the boards. She was looking for an easy job to help her earn some money. She looked at a certain flyer over and over, not knowing how long she stood there. One of the flyer caught her eyes, but she refuse to do it. She looked at it again and it read:

_Do you love house cleaning? Well, we have a job for you!_

_We are currently seeking motivated, friendly, and a great person at the Hiwatari Mansion. We are now hiring anyone who enjoys cleaning! We want people who are at the age of eighteen or higher. Compensation: $12.00 Per Hour_

_To apply, please send the following to beybladermax at forever . com Name:_

_Age:_

_Gender:_

_Home Address:_

_Email Address:_

_Phone Number:_

_And send a resume too, but don't worry. We just want to see what others things that you have done. We are looking forward hearing from you!_

"Should I do it?" the teal hair girl asked herself, tapping on her chin. House cleaning? More like MANSION cleaning. It's not a problem for her to clean since it's her specialty and she will be paid twelve bucks per hour too. She just turned eighteen, so it sounds perfect for her. "Hiwatari must be very rich to be willing to pay that much," the girl lightly glared. Kai was the problem. She didn't want to work under someone like him.

She sighed and walked away from the boards and headed for the door. The girl was wearing faded blue jeans and on the left knee there was a hole that showed her kneecap. She was wearing black fishnet fingerless gloves and black shoes that seemed kind of old. The girl wears a gray sweater that showed her shoulders and a white tank top under it.

Kai walked in the building with sunglasses on and his scarf covered half of his face. He walked across the lobby with his hands were in his jacket's pocket and he had the hood on.

The teal hair girl walked across the lobby also and walked pass Kai. As they walked pass each other, it was like in slow motion. Kai glanced at the girl who also glanced back at him with her pale green eyes. She looked at his violet eyes pass the sunglasses. There was a sudden weird feeling between them, but it wasn't any other kind of feeling that they ever felt before. Kai looked away and kept on walking. The girl didn't turn back at him and walked out of the building.

_That was odd._ The teal hair girl and Kai both thought at the same time.

**­­­­------**

**Note from "**the sounds of the bells**":**

**The email that was suppose to be sent to Max was just made up. I think you all should know that it's just made up for this story. I don't know why, but I just wanted that to be clear. I put **_beybladermax at forever . com _**because it makes this blue link and I don't want it there. I hope you understand that.**

**Another thing before you stop reading is that I have never watch Beyblade seasons two and three before so the characters from those two seasons won't appear in this story. I apologize. But if you wish to add someone from either of those seasons, just let me know. I will have to research them so I will know their personalities.**

**Thank you for reading my first Beyblade story.**


	2. A Friend from the Past

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**­­­------**

**My Words, Your Words**

**_Story written by:_ the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 2 – A Friend from the Past**

For a couple of hours, Tyson walked everywhere in the blue mansion. He wondered inside and out, looking at every detail. He found some trap doors and a tunnel, almost like a basement. Tyson felt like he was lost a few times because of them. "I wonder how bedrooms there are…?" Tyson walked down the hallways on the third floor, counting. He miscounted a couple of times and gave up. He walked outside and decided to go to the lake.

The blue lake was sparkling in the sunlight and the wind was cool. "Ah…" Tyson breathed spring's air. His arms were open at his sides as if he was waiting for someone to hug him. Tyson breathed again, "That's a nice wind…"

"Excuse me…" a soft voice came from behind him.

Tyson jumped from the voice that had disturbed him from the peaceful air. He looked at a woman; perhaps she's in her late thirties. She was wearing a black and white maid's clothes, so he figure she was one of the people who work here. The woman had short brown hair and gray eyes. "Yeah? May I help you…?" he sweat dropped. He feel kind of embarrass from jumping like that.

She kindly gave him a warm smiled. "Are you one of Master Hiwatari's friends who is living here?" she asked.

"Master Hiwatari?" Tyson looked at her with disbeliefs. Why is Kai making her call him that? It makes Kai sound like he is some lord who owns everything, or something. Does he think that he is living in a palace? What a joke! "Uh, yeah. My name is Tyson Granger. Hi!" He returned a smile.

The woman smiled again. "Please to meet you, Mr. Granger. My name is Emily Shelley."

"Emily?" Tyson crack a smile. He forgot the Emily that he knew also lives in America. "Oh, don't call me Mister! Just call me Tyson." He pointed to himself with a wide smile. "And I will call you Emily!"

The short brown hair woman shook her hands in front of her with a sweat on her face. "No, I mustn't address you by that name! And you must call me Ms. Shelley!" she said.

Tyson again looked at her with disbeliefs. _What did Kai do this woman?_ He thought, looking up at the sky hopelessly. Or maybe she was just a well-manner woman and that's the way she is. _We live in different kinds of world, I guess…_ Tyson scratched his face, sighing. He looked back at her with another wide smile. "Whatever. You can't stop me from calling you Emily anyway, ma'am." Tyson teased.

Emily was going to say something more, but then something fell into the lake making a big splash around the two of them. "Oh dear!" she panicked when the water was splashed at her. "What was that?" she asked, her eyes widen.

"…" Tyson had covered part of his face from the large splash and then looked at the center of the lake. "What the hell…?" he took a step forward. Tyson squinted his eyes to see what was there when he saw something moving in it's place. There was a white beybalde, with some blue parts, spinning at the bottom of the lake and the water was like a whirlpool, going in the same direction how the beyblade was spinning. "Kai is not going to like it when he sees his precious lake like this…" Tyson sweat dropped.

The beyblade in the lake then quickly went towards Emily and Tyson. The blue haired reached in his pockets for his beyblade, but it wasn't there. Emily hurried away before she could get hurt, but turned to Tyson. "Mr. Granger, what are you doing?" she told him.

_Shit, I left Dragoon back in my bedroom!_ Tyson grunted. Was the beyblade going to attack them? It seems like it. Look at the way the white beyblade coming rapidly across the lake towards them! What else could it be? He looked back at Emily. "Stay back!" he warned. "And don't call me that!" Tyson hurry and turned his attention at the beyblade as it swiftly moved above the water, leaving a trail of water that was jumping in the air. He just stood there and stood very still. _Whose beyblade is it?_ He asked himself. _How will I stop it without Dragoon?_ The white beyblade came closer and closer by the second.

Emily stood where she was, looking at Tyson's back. She had always thought beyblade were dangerous and a waste of time. Now there's a beyblade from out of nowhere that just started to attack them! She hated it even more than ever. "Mr. Granger!" she called again. She was sure that the white beyblade would attack Tyson if he doesn't start moving and she just couldn't leave him like this.

The white beyblade jumped into the air and headed for Tyson. The blue haired boy was prepare to be hit by it and covered part of his face with his arm. _Now is not the time to be a coward without Dragoon!_ He told himself. He's going to stand his ground and make sure he knows who is attacking him after this.

Another beyblade came behind Tyson and he jumped in fear. "Aqua Shield!" the voice shouted. The water in front of Tyson came up like a wave and that cause the while beyblade to slow down. Then the white beyblade pass through the water and Tyson, spinning away from them.

Tyson smiled happily and turned around. Max was running up to Emily and Tyson. "Great job, Max!" Tyson jumped over the rocks. "You save me just in time!" he was relieved. He didn't want to get hit for no reasons by someone else's beyblade.

Max chuckled, "No problem, Tyson." He looked at the woman with a small smile. "Are you okay? I hope you didn't hurt."

"I'm fine," Emily smiled back. "Thank you. You're a good kid for one who uses a beyblade." The blond haired laughed nervously. Then he looked where the white beyblade had disappeared. Tyson was staring at the same direction where Max was looking at too. Emily looked where they were looking also.

Tyson lightly glared, shouting, "We know you're over there! Come out!" It was obvious that there was a person over there. That was where the white beyblade went. If that person does come out, peacefully, Tyson might even forgive him or her. "Hello?" Tyson called again.

The teal hair girl slowly walked out behind a tree that she was hiding. She was sweat dropping, feeling uncomfortable. She gave them a light wave. "Hi there…" the girl said in a sorry tone.

"…Is that you, Hotarubi?" Tyson's eyes widen. Max and Emily blinked a couple of times, wondering if Tyson knew the girl who had teal hair and pale green eyes. "Kita Hotarubi, right?" Tyson asked, hoping that it was her.

She nodded, walking towards their way. "Yep. It's me, Tyson. Hotarubi!" she starts run to him with her arms wide open. Tyson smiled more and ran up to her as well. Hotarubi hugged him and he blushed. He didn't except this. Was that why her arms were open like that? "Oh Tyson! I miss you!" she cried happily. "How long has it been? Nine years? I'm so happy that you remembered me!"

Max and Emily stood where they were, waiting for an explanation. Tyson pulled Hotarubi away, happy to see her. He looked back at the other two. "Max and Emily. This is Hotarubi, my childhood friend," he told them with a big smile. He looked at teal hair girl. "Hotarubi, this is my friend, Max. And this is Emily, a new friends that I just made today."

Hotarubi nodded their existences. Emily blushed. "Please don't call me that!" she said. "Call me Ms. Shelley is good enough." She just doesn't know why Tyson keep calling her that. She's like in her thirties and he's treating her like she was around their age. It just doesn't suit her, not even one bit.

"Friends don't call each other like that," Max chuckled at her. "Since you're working here, it's best to call each other by our first names. It's nothing to feel shy about, Emily." It doesn't really matter what age they are anyway. Friends are friends. That's what it matters to Max.

Tyson smiled at Emily. "Max is right," he said. "So don't act all SHY about it, Emily." Tyson is really glad that Max was his friend. Max always knows a lot of good words for those who need them. That's one of the strong points about Max. Emily looked at Tyson and gently gave them a small smile

"Max Tate, am I right?" Hotarubi asked, smiling, changing the subject. Her eyes turned into dreamy stars. "I'm a fan of yours. And I got a live view of your Aqua Shield! It's so awesome!" Hotarubi squealed. Water was her favorite element ever since she was young and she dreams to become as strong as Max someday. "You're defenses are really truly strong," she commented. "Just like in the TV!"

Max smiled, pleased to hear it. "Thanks," he smiled.

"Wait," Tyson looked at her, confuse. "So that white beyblade was yours? You beyblade? I thought you always hated them when we were, like, kids. And why did you attack us all of the sudden?"

Hotarubi laughed at him. She rubbed the back of her head and said, "Well, I was planning to see how the mansion was like and maybe I will work here. When I saw you standing by the lake I just had to beybattle you! I mean, you're the champ! I wanted to see how strong I am against you, Tyson!" Hotarubi then quickly added, "Yes, the white beyblade is mine." She showed her beyblade to him and the others. There was a blue snake on it, a bit beast, Tyson and Max would assume. "I know that I use to hate beyblade, but now I do," she smiled at him.

"Whoa, you have a bit beast?" Tyson took a closer look. A blue snake with golden eyes… now he wants to battle her! Challenging new beyblader is always fun. "May I see it?" Tyson asked, reaching for her beyblade.

She pulled her hand away and hid her beyblade behind her. "No! If you want to see it closer, then you have to battle me and win!" Hotarubi told him. "But you missed your chance because you didn't take out your Dragoon," Hotarubi sighed, depress and disappointed. There's no way she would show her beyblade to anyone else. If someone ever wanted to see her beybalde and bit beast, they will have to win a beyblattle with her. That's her rule. But if it was a person who doesn't know how to beyblade she will never show it to anyone. "Why were you just standing there when it was coming right at you?" Hotarubi asked. "Do you want to die? Then again, it doesn't matter because Max showed me his Aqua Shield!"

Max laughed nervously as Tyson look like he was going to breath out fire. "I left Dragoon in my room, so there was no way for me to battle you! Besides, if you want a challenge, come out politely and ask! It's not that hard now is it?!" If Tyson really did have Dragoon with him, he would have won with ease, taking her down quickly with his wind attacks.

Hotarubi looked at him with a mockery face. "No champ would ever leave his bit beast and beyblade behind like that!" She may look down at him now, but she really looks up to him, because he had worked hard to be able to come that far to become a champion. She just likes teasing him since he gets mad easily. Tyson has too much pride and that makes him look funny.

"Oh, did you say that you wanted to work here?" Max asked, remembering Hotarubi saying something like that just a minute ago.

The teal hair girl nodded, putting her beyblade in her pocket. "Yes, but I'm still not sure. I mean, Hiwatari LIVES here and if I do work here, I will be working under HIM." Maybe she wasn't going to work here after all, but this is a good opportunity to take advantage of. She can just work hard and make Kai lose all of his money or something. Hotarubi laughed in her mind at that thought.

"Why not?" Tyson smiled happily. It would be great if she worked here. They both of them would be able to beybattle each other at any time. "I'm going to live here for six years! Max is also living here! Ray is going to be living here as well and Kenny will also live here, but not after two years! How about, Hotarubi?"

Hotarubi clapped her hands together, her eyes spackling once again. "For real?! All of my favorite beybladers are going to be living right here in this mansion?" She was also a fan of Kenny because she heard about a bit beast living in his laptop and he was a nice guy. Hotarubi dreamed meeting Kenny and the others. "Okay! I decided to work here! Sign me up!" she punched in the air. It wouldn't be that bad working as a maid at Kai's mansion because she would only hang out with Tyson, Max, Ray, and Kenny. She doesn't even have to talk to Kai at all.

Emily smiled, walking up to her. "If you truly want to work here, you must remember every rule that Master Hiwatari had made. You will also have to do a good job, because if you ruin something even once, he surely will fire you without hesitation."

"Ark," the teal hair girl looked at her with a sweat drop. "I even have to call him MASTER Hiwatari?" Emily nodded. Hotarubi sighed. "Fine, whatever works is okay with me." NOT. There was no way that Hotarubi will ever call him that. Not ever.

Tyson put his arm around her shoulders, smiling the biggest smile ever. "Yes! I knew it would be a great long six years here! We're all going to have fun! …Except for college assignments, but that doesn't really matter." He was very happy to see her and now he would get to see Hotarubi more often now. She was a great friend back then and she will always be.

"Okay, I'll let Kai know about this. Let me show you around, Hotarubi." Max turned to walk away, but then looked at the lake. The water was half way in the pit and some of the rocks were knocked away. He sweat dropped. "I don't think Kai would like it if he sees this mess… but I will have people repair it or something."

Hotarubi followed Max when he walked towards the blue mansion. "Oh no. If he finds out that it was me, would he still allow me to work here?" she asked, nervously. Everything will be lost and she probably won't see Tyson and his other friends everyday.

The blue haired boy winked, walking beside her as Emily walked behind them. "Don't you worry," Tyson smirked. "No one will say anything. Right, Emily?" he looked at the short brown hair woman.

Emily nodded nervously. She still wasn't use to be calling by her first name at her age by them. "Yes…" she replied.

"See?" Tyson looked back at Hotarubi. There was nothing to worry about. Tyson will think of something to lie to Kai about the lake incident, but Kai is smart. Then Max will have to take over or something to make Kai forget about it and just have it repair and end of story.

"Hey, Hotarubi," Max opened the door to the mansion and turned to look at her. "Why didn't you just email before visiting? If you did, I would have been prepare."

Hotarubi and the others walked in. She sighed, "Well… you know, I just wanted to take a quick look to see if I want to work here." Then she paused for a moment. "Email you? That email on the flyer was your email?" she asked. What a surprise. Hotarubi didn't think "beybladermax" was Max himself because she thought the 'max' was meant something about maximum to the power! If she knew that it was him, she would have already send him the info on her so she should work here.

Max nodded. "Yep." He closed the door and looked at Emily. "You may continue your job, Emily. Kai wouldn't be so nice after he sees the lake and then seeing you lacking off, but go and change those clothes. You're soaking wet." Max sweat dropped, thinking about how Kai would act when he comes back to the mansion. Emily nodded politely and walked away up the stairs. Max turned to Tyson. "Why don't you go and change too, Tyson? I will show Hotarubi around this place," the blond hair smiled.

"Alright!" Tyson hurried up the stairs. "I will just take a moment and I will catch up to you two later then!"

Hotarubi watched Tyson disappearing beyond the walls of the mansion and then looked at Max with a smiled. "I'm ready to take a tour when you are, Max."

----

Kai walked down the hill with his hands in his pockets. He was thinking hard, not even noticing anyone else beside himself. Something was troubling him, but he won't say anything to his friends if they ever ask. After a while, Kai turned around the corner and walked in front of the gates of his blue mansion. _Huh?_ He looked at the gates. They weren't lock and it's halfway open. He thought he locked it when he left. Did Max or Tyson head out? Or were his maid and the butler who left it like this? Kai shrugged it off, hoping that there were no strangers who sneaked in. He opened them wider and closed it, locking it also.

Kai walked, looking up at the sky. Then he looked around and notices the lake halfway full. _What the hell…?_ He hurried over to the lake. Kai stared at the water and at the rocks; some of the rocks were drying up from the water of the lake. There must have been a battle here, but why? There wasn't any other way why the lake was halfway full. It just couldn't have dry up like that. Kai snapped his eyes wide and hurried to the mansion. "My friends…!" he ran. Did something happen to them? Was that why the gates were unlocked? Were they in danger? He clutched his teeth together. "Are they here after us already?" he asked himself, taking off the sunglasses.

Inside the mansion, Max and Tyson were talking to Hotarubi. Emily was in the living room, just dusting around. "You're leaving already?" Tyson asked. "We just got together."

Hotarubi laughed cheerfully. "I know, but Hiwatari might be here soon and I don't want to see him." She turned away from them and headed for the front door. "I want to hurry before he gets here."

"Don't you like Kai?" Max asked, confuse. She is a fan of Max and his teammates, but except for Kai? It was weird. He wondered if those two ever meant before and maybe that's why she didn't want to see him. "Aren't you also a fan of his?" Max inquired.

The teal hair girl laughed nervously this time. "I rather not talk about it," she said, waving her hand at them. "I'll come by tomorrow then! Bye everyone!" The moment she touched the doorknob, Kai had opened the door from the other side inside the mansion. He was so in a hurry, and fail to notice Hotarubi right in front of him, he fell over her. They both fell hard on the ground, leaving Tyson and Max staring at them. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…" Hotarubi rubbed the back of her head where it hurt the most with her eyes closed. "Who did that?!" she shouted angrily, opening her eyes up at Kai.

Kai stared at her pale green eyes, a bit shock. _It's that girl from earlier…_ He thought in his mind. Then he suddenly blushed a light blush, knowing Tyson and Max were watching. Kai quickly got off of her and looked away.

Hotarubi remembered the violet eyes from somewhere, but she couldn't recall it. She glared at Kai, standing up. "What was that for, Hiwatari?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. She knew it was Kai because she saw him on TV a bunch of times, taking all of Tyson's glory. Hotarubi could not believe that he was just over her just a second ago! It's something that should have not happen.

"What's up, Kai?" Max waved, feeling calm as usual. He chuckled nervously, wondering if Kai had noticed the lake's condition.

Tyson laughed, "Look, Kai just blushed! Now you don't see that everyday!"

Kai shot a glare at Tyson, who quickly stop laughing but still had a smile on. Kai looked at Hotarubi and then at his friends. "Who is she?" he asked, looking quite angry.

The blue haired boy walked to the girl and set his hand on her shoulder. "She's my friend from nine years ago," Tyson told Kai. "Her last name is Kita. Her first name is Hotarubi." Tyson looked at Kai, who was glaring at Hotarubi and she was also glaring back. "…Is something wrong?" Tyson asked, looking at them back and forth. There was a usual feeling in the atmosphere. Hotarubi slapped Tyson's hand away and rushed out of the mansion. "H-Hotarubi?" Tyson walked outside and just stood there.

"Kai," Max looked at him. "Do you know her?"

Kai shook his head. "No, I don't." He looked at his blond friend. "Why did you let a stranger in here?"

Max smiled, "She said she wanted to work here. Good news, right?"

"That girl does?" Kai raised one of his eyebrows. Max nodded. Kai walked outside and stood by Tyson's side. They both looked at her when she reached to the gates, but she couldn't open it. She looked back at them with a clueless face. Kai turned around, but before he walked back into the mansion he held a silver key to Tyson. "Give it to her," Kai said. "And tell her to come in tomorrow at ten o'clock if she wants this job." Tyson grabbed the key and Kai walked into the mansion and up the stairs.

"Okay," Tyson smiled. "I'll let her know that." The blue haired boy ran to Hotarubi who was standing near the gates, knowing she needed a key to open the gates.

Max followed Kai up the stairs. "So is it okay for Hotarubi to work here?" he asked.

"Is she qualified to work here?" Kai looked at him, not wanting to answer Max's question yet. The blond hair blue slightly nodded. "I will answer your question once she comes here tomorrow. Be sure not to be occupied at ten o'clock, got that?"

"Alright…" Max was confused. "But don't we usually just accept after they send an email and resume, Kai?" That was what Kai did to his maid, Emily, and the butler. Kai didn't answer him and walked faster. Max didn't follow him any further and sighed. "What's up with Kai these days?" Max thought out loud. The blond hair boy walked back down the stairs and looked at Tyson and Hotarubi walking at the first gates.

The locks on the gates were unusual. You have to use a key from both sides to open it? Hotarubi looked at Tyson in confusion, but he doesn't know himself. Hotarubi smiled at Tyson. "I'll be sure to come by tomorrow again," she laughed after Tyson had told what Kai had said. "I'm going to make sure I get this job."

Tyson smiled brightly at her. "Our battle will have to wait then!" he patted on her shoulders. "I guess I will see you tomorrow then."

She nodded. "Uh-huh. Tomorrow at ten o'clock. Be sure to be there, in case Hiwatari doesn't accept me. If Hiwatari doesn't, make him, okay?"

"I will," Tyson assured her. "We're friends after all!"

**------**


	3. Wind and Water

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**­­­------**

**My Words, Your Words**

**_Story written by:_ the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 3 – Wind and Water**

The next day, in the morning, Kai was outside behind the mansion. He was lying on the grass on his back with his hands behind head, chewing on a twig. Kai just stared up at the clouds, looking at them as they change their shapes. The wind was gentle and cool today once again. He was enjoying the breeze with his eyes close, but then he heard footsteps and he opened his eyes. It was just Max, smiling down at him. Kai closed his eyes again. "What is it?" Kai asked.

Max chuckled, looking a little nervous. "Hotarubi is here." Since she had left yesterday, Kai started to ask questions about the lake. Max and Tyson told Kai what happened since he was looking very scary and mad. They can never really hide anything from him, ever. Kai is a tough friend, but he isn't all that bad.

"She's a bit early…" Kai remained lying on the ground. He opened one of his eyes, looking at Max. "The appointment is at ten. I will see her by then." The blond hair nodded and went back into the mansion. Kai sat up and split the twig out of his mouth. _Kita… Hotarubi._ He remembered her name. He glared up at the sky, thinking silently to himself.

----

"Where's Ray?" Hotarubi was standing in the living room with Tyson. "I didn't see him when I came yesterday and today." She really wanted to see him in person so much, but clamed herself and hid her fan-girl mode.

Tyson shrugged. "Who knows? He was supposed to be here yesterday before I even got here and he didn't contact us yet. I wonder what happen." Though, it's Ray they are talking about. If someone had picked a fight with Ray, he can take him or her out in no time. He's Chinese and a beyblader, so Ray should know martial arts or something.

"How disappointing…" Hotarubi sighed, sadly. She hasn't see Ray yet and Kenny won't be coming in the next two years. It's so unfair! She would felt so honor to meet them all at the same time since she only watched them on TV. She could never go anywhere to see the beyblade tournaments that were being held around the world. But now, she would be with them in this mansion, just as long she doesn't get fire. Hotarubi smiled, "How is Ray like?"

The blue haired boy scratched his face, looking away. "Hm, let me think for a moment…" he said. Tyson shrugged after a second. "I guess he is usually quiet, determined, and intense. Ray is actually the more mature member in my team." Tyson nodded, smiling. "I think you two will get along just fine."

"I see…" the teal hair girl slightly blushed. Out of Tyson's friends, Ray was the cutest. The first time when she saw Ray on television, she already had a crush on him and she wanted to support him if she was ever there for him. And the ugly one was Kai. She doesn't get why he had the blue triangles on his face. Was it to make him look scary? Well, whatever is it Hotarubi doesn't even want to think about why and anything about Kai.

Tyson smirked and poked her forehead. "Why didn't you ask anything about Kenny, huh?" he asked. "Aren't you going to ask anything about Kenny?" It's obvious that she likes Ray a lot better than him and his friends.

Hotarubi slapped his hand away, blushing. "I was just going to ask you about Kenny," she said. "But I can pretty much guess. I actually chat with him online before anyway."

"You did?" Tyson made a clueless look. "When?"

She shrugged. "Like, three or four months ago. I don't remember, but we just chatted for a couple of times. Nothing much." Kenny seemed like a technological guy and that remained her of school. But what she likes about him is that Kenny makes Tyson's and his friends' beyblade better than before for years now. She wondered if Kenny would help her with her beyblade too, but maybe she shouldn't ask. She wanted to grow strong in her own way.

"Hotarubi," Max called from the back doors of the mansion. The blond hair boy walked into the living, standing by Tyson's side. "Since you're here fifteen minutes early, why don't we…" Max trailed off when she started glaring. "Hotarubi?" he sweat dropped.

"Does that mean that Kai doesn't want to interview me early?" she asked, smiling happily. Max nodded. If she knew Kai wouldn't come and interview when she comes in early, she should have come even earlier! She grabbed Tyson's arm and hurried outside, dragging him along to the front door. "Come with me, Tyson!" she laughed cheerfully.

"Hotarubi, where are we going?" he asked, feeling like he's not even walking at all. They walked out of the mansion and walked over the green grass.

She grinned at him. "You better have your Dragoon with you this time," she said. Hotarubi continue to drag him, going pass the lake and they stopped there. They were at the right side of the mansion, standing in the wide-open grassy area. She took her beyblade out, smiling exciting at Tyson. "We only got total of fifteen minutes left or less, help me pass the time before the appointment."

Tyson stared at her and smiled back. He got his Dragoon out of his pocket and held it to her face. "The challenge is on! Be prepare to lose!" he chuckled. Tyson couldn't wait to see her bit beast and her skills in beyblade. So he better not go easy one her because if he does, she might win and he won't be able to see her blue snake bit beast.

"Lose?" Hotarubi pouted at him. "No! I'm prepared to win! Don't underestimate me, Tyson. If you do, you might not know what hit you." She laughed evilly.

The two of them distance themselves, getting ready to battle. The both of them looked at each other with happy smiles and stood there for a moment. _Nine years, huh?_ Tyson thought with a sigh. _I never thought that Hotarubi would ever love beyblade or that we'll be battling together. I wonder what made her change her mind?_

----

Kai stood up, slightly mad because of Tyson's shouting from somewhere outside of the mansion. He listened carefully and it sounded like Tyson has a beybattle with Hotarubi. Kai became interested and walked around the mansion, finding the two of them really are battling each other. Max was at the sidelines, smiling at the battle. Kai joined Max in the sidelines. "There's less than ten minutes left…" Kai started to say. "How do they expect to win within the time limit?"

Max chuckled. "I don't think one of them will have to win," he said. Max looked at the white beyblade speedily catches up to Dragoon. "They are probably just having fun." He smiled at Kai. "It's just something to do before it's time for the appointment."

Hotarubi and Tyson did look like they were having fun. They had never done this together ever because Hotarubi use to never like it and even hate talking about it. Tyson had always loved to beyblade and now they both are sharing the same thing together. Hotarubi grinned at how strong Tyson really was. She has a long way to go, but she won't give up that easily. She kept her eyes on Tyson and she's not evening shouting like Tyson was. He was jumping all over the place, rooting for his Dragoon.

"Dragoon! Behind you!" Tyson warned. The white beyblade went straight ahead of Dragoon, which Hotarubi's beyblade was no longer behind Dragoon. _Damn… why is her beyblade so fast?_ Tyson felt like biting his fingers. _I need more distance to attack… but how?_ Tyson looked at Dragoon and Hotarubi's white beyblade. Her beyblade is always so close to Dragoon, why is that? "Oh, forget it!" Tyson smiled. "Just attack it, Dragoon!"

"She's just fooling around with him with her speed," Kai sighed. "Kita can't win against Tyson like that." Dragoon went head on with the white beyblade, colliding. "And Tyson is just back to his old strategy. Won't he ever learn?" Kai was disappointed in his friend. He looked at Hotarubi, who remained still and just staring at Tyson. _What is she planning to do?_ Kai thought to himself. _Why is she only keeping her eyes on her opponent and not the battle?_

Max looked at Kai. "Tyson's plan is always on attacking," Max smiled. "You really can't do too much things to change his ways of his own battle. Unless he's in a deep trouble, then he will have to change his plan." He chuckled, continuing to look at the other two battling.

Tyson had call upon his Dragoon Galaxy. Two wind twisters had appeared and it went on the way to Hotarubi's beyblade. The white beyblade rushed away near the lake. "Follow it, Dragoon!" Tyson called to it. Dragoon was inside in one of the twisters, following the white beyblade as being told.

Hotarubi narrowed her eyes at Tyson. She waited as she could feel her beyblade quickly escaping the wind, Dragoon Galaxy. The white beyblade was getting closer to the lake and Dragoon was no match for Hotarubi's beyblade speed. _Flow of the Serpent!_ She called out to her bitbeast. The lake's water blasted into the air, like a geyser, and flew to the white beyblade. Hotarubi's beyblade had changed directions and went straight towards Dragoon. The water suddenly took form of a snake and it opened its mouth, having another collision with Tyson's Dragoon beyblade, which was in the Dragoon Galaxy. "Ow… damn it," Hotarubi's right shoulder was slashed by the wind and it started to bleed. Her beyblade must have been hit.

"Ah!" Tyson covered one of his eyes from the strong wind with the water along it when Dragoon and the white beyblade had impacted each other. "Dragoon!" he called, wondering if Dragoon was all right.

Max and Kai looked at the sky where the wind and water had mix in together. The water sparkled as the wind carried it off. It was a serene sight, like it seems the two elements were good friends. Just like Tyson and Hotarubi. It felt like the wind was communicating with the emotional water. "Wow, that's refreshing…" Max smiled as the water sprinkled on his face and the wind blowing gently against him. He looked at Kai who seemed to feel nothing and Kai said nothing. Max chuckled, "Are you wondering about Hotarubi just keeping her eyes on her opponents instead of the battle, Kai?"

Kai glanced at Max. He nodded, looking back at Hotarubi. Kai didn't get why she was doing that. Was it one of her tricks to win? Or was it jus something to fool someone around? Maybe it's both or it's just how she beybattle against the others. "I think… it's rather weird," Kai told Max, who nodded in agreement.

The 'battlefield' got clearer from the wind and the water as Dragoon and the white beyblade were pushing each other back and forth, going around the place. The white beyblade withdraw and went back to Hotarubi, stopping in front of her. Tyson sighed heavily, "What are you doing, Hotarubi?" He looked at her, just realizing something. _Wait a minute… was she staring at me the whole time?_ Tyson remembered noticing her not moving her head from the corner of his eyes. Maybe it was just him.

"I give in," the teal hair girl told him, picking up her beyblade. "I mean, you're too good. I just can't compete with you." Hotarubi gave him a small smile, putting her beybalde away back in her pocket.

Dragoon flew back to Tyson as he caught it. "But we just started!" Tyson complained, walking up to her. "We still have time to see who loses and who wins!"

"No, that's enough," she sighed again. "I don't feel ready to win yet."

_What?_ Tyson looked at Hotarubi, who was looking down at the ground. He smiled and patted on her shoulder. "Hey, don't get all depress about it," he said. He doesn't even know why she is. "We'll battle each other again when you're ready then, if that's what you want."

She looked at him with a sweat. "That isn't really the point…" she laughed nervously. Hotarubi paused, looking up at Tyson. She started to feel guilty. It was something that she had to do. She grabbed his arm, holding her hand there for a moment. "I'm sorry, Tyson."

"For what?" he asked. "Don't be! You will eventually beat me once or twice, so there's no need to apologize." Tyson was confused. Why is she apologizing about? Was it because she didn't give her best shot? Or just got bored? He looked at Hotarubi. She was looking at the ground again. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked, a bit worry.

Hotarubi smiled up at him, letting go of his arm. "I'm fine." She stared at Tyson again.

Kai noticed that she wasn't looking at Tyson at all, during all that time. He looked back at the mansion and Emily was smiling cheerfully at them from the window. She waved and went back to work. _Was Kita looking at Ms. Shelley all this time?_ Kai asked himself. Thinking about, if Tyson was still in the same spot before he moved around, Hotarubi must have been looking at Emily behind Tyson. _But for what reason?_ Kai was starting to feel suspicious about Hotarubi, but there wasn't anything to be suspicious about. Kai was just worried about something that he didn't want his friends to know. He must be cautious about everything around him, in case something gets out of hand.

"You're bleeding!" Tyson panicked when he looked at his hand that had some blood on it. He wondered why his hand was bleeding when it didn't seem to hurt, but it was just Hotarubi's shoulder that he was patting on just a minute ago. "How did that happen?" he grabbed her hand and dragged her this time, going back to the mansion.

She laughed, "Because you were strong."

"Don't laugh about it," Tyson said as the both of them walked pass Max and Kai.

Kai looked at Hotarubi when Tyson dragged her by. Her eyes were depressed, empty inside. There seem to be nothing that she was thinking about, but only one thing that Kai had no clue about what it was. When she gave a quick look at Kai, she glared at him, her eyes turning back to normal. Kai watched them as they turned around the corner in front of the mansion. Kai sighed, "Has she been giving me that look recently or when we first met?"

Max laughed. "Who knows? Maybe she just doesn't like you." It was kind of hard to believe it, since Kai was well know and love by fan girls. Who would ever hate Kai? This was the first time seeing a girl who keeps glaring at Kai and even dislike talking to him. _How will Hotarubi talk to Kai when it's time for the appointment?_ Max was amused by that thought. "Well, let's get ready for the interview then, Kai," the blond hair boy said, walking where Tyson and Hotarubi went.

Kai headed the other way to the back door of the mansion. He didn't want to see Hotarubi glaring at him when they see each other, even though they will see one another again at ten o'clock. Kai looked at the clock in the kitchen when he entered the mansion. There was only five minutes left. He sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Ow, that hurts, Emily!" Hotarubi cried painfully from the other room.

"Please stay still…" Emily giggled nervously. "Your wound must be treated. Ah! Be careful, the vase almost fell!"

Kai heard Tyson groaning. "Will you stop moving around, Hotarubi?" Tyson asked.

"I blame this on you, Tyson!" Hotarubi shouted, sounding like she was going to cry. "How dare you harm a weak girl!"

"You're the one who left yourself defenseless," Tyson told her. "Don't tell me that it was my fault!"

Kai closed his eyes, continuing to listen to the three of them from the other room. Emily was pleading Hotarubi to stay still, Tyson was shouting over and over, and Hotarubi cried in pain with a little laugh. If Emily didn't work here, if Tyson wasn't living here, if Hotarubi wasn't planning to work here, how would it feel like if he were just alone in this mansion? If there weren't this many voices echoing around the mansion, would he like it? Kai smiled to himself. At the very least, he was glad that they were here right now.

**------**


	4. Fire and Water Don’t Mix

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**­­­****------**

**My Words, Your Words**

_**Story written by:**_** the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 4 – Fire and Water Don't Mix**

Hotarubi was sitting on the couch, lighting glaring at Kai. He was standing in front of her and Max was standing by Kai. Tyson was on another couch and he isn't allowed to talk even once, that's what Kai told him anyway. Emily was on the second floor of the mansion, just doing her job. The butler came around and then; he had jet-black hair and dark blue eyes. He was around at the age of forty.

"If you want this well-paying job," Kai glared back at Hotarubi. "You better start smiling because that's what you're supposed to do when there is an interview. Are you serious about this job or not?"

She turned her head to Max and smiled at him. "Shall we get started, Max?" she ignored Kai.

Max chuckled nervously. He wonders if she will be able to get job if she continues to act like this. "Actually, Hotarubi…" Max started. "Kai is the one who you're supposed to interview with. Me and Tyson are just here for you."

Kai let out a small smile when she looked back at Kai with tired eyes. Hotarubi sighed heavily. _This is just great!_ She rolled her eyes and forced a smile at Kai. "You may start asking questions when you're ready, Hiwatari." She mind as well just fake everything or something. She didn't even bring a resume, but she got some other people to cover her.

"First of all…" Kai begun. "Do you have a job and volunteering experiences?" She nodded. "Name one of them," Kai said, crossing his arms.

Hotarubi started to talk about volunteering at a homeless shelter. She is well liked by everyone there and she tends to give away free food to the people there from time to time. Kai asked about her age, she said she was eighteen. Then he asked her about herself. She faked a cough. "Do I have to?" she asked. Kai, Max, and Tyson all nodded. It was one of the questions that might be ask every time where ever you go to get a job.

"Just answer them," Kai said.

She brushed her bangs from her eyes and gave him an eye contact. "I'm gentle with delicate object, so be at ease for I won't break any of your vases and some other stuff. I am quiet so you don't need to worry about me making loud noises when you around or not in this mansion of yours. I'm a bad communicator so don't try to talk to me so much. And if there something I don't know how to handle, I will ask Emily to help me so don't worry about me coming to you." She looked away for a moment. Then smiled at Kai again. "Do you want to know more, Hiwatari?"

Max sweat dropped and Kai just sort of nodded. _She sounds so negative at the same time._ Max thought, laughing nervously. Will Kai even let her work here after all that?

"Hey," Tyson smile widely at Hotarubi. "You really haven't changed much when we were kids, huh, Hotarubi?"

Kai looked at Tyson, warning him about not talking with his glaring eyes. Tyson chuckled weakly and looked away. Kai looked back at Hotarubi. "It seems that we don't have to take to long time for this interview…" he said. Hotarubi looked annoyed after her little speech about herself so he wanted to end it quick. "But I want to ask one more thing… Why do you want this job?"

Hotarubi met his eyes again. She thought about it. "Perhaps…" she said softly. "I wanted… uh, actually it's just that… um…" Hotarubi laughed nervously. She must get this job! She wanted to be near Kai's friends and for some other reasons that she has. Hotarubi didn't wanted to tell Kai the truth, she would if Max and Tyson weren't there listening. She pouted at Kai. "I want more experiences… and I need to help some other people."

"Whom?" Kai asked.

"I thought you were done asking!" she stood up. "You said, 'but I want to ask one more thing' remember?"

"But Hotarubi…" Max took a step towards her.

Kai turned and walked away. "It doesn't matter Max. She won't be working here anyway."

Tyson and Hotarubi both panicked. "WHAT?!" they both hurried to catch up with Kai. Max also followed.

"She almost got the job of being a maid," Kai told them. "But she was rude, not much eye contacts, and she's not telling the truth." He didn't like her attitude. There is no way he will let her work here to lack off and spend her time with Tyson and Max.

Hotarubi snapped at him, pulling onto his scarf. "You're the one who is being rude!" she shouted at him. Kai stopped walking and looked at her. She glared, "I answered your questions, I did made some eye contacts you pervert, and what I replied were all true!" Kai pulled his scarf back and hurried up the stairs. "Hitwatari!" she shouted, following him.

_Pervert?_ Tyson and Max both thought at the same time. Did she mean having eye contact with Kai made her feel weird? That's strange. Where did she think of that kind of idea?

Kai turned around sharply and walked back down the stairs. Hotarubi stood in his way. He looked down at her. "Excuse me, but I have something that I have to do," he told her, going around her and pushed Tyson out of his way when Tyson also stood in his way.

"Wait, Kai!" Tyson called to him. Hotarubi quickly ran down the stairs by two steps, but she slipped on as last step and fell on the ground. "Hotarubi!" Tyson's eyes open widely. He hurried down the stairs.

Max helped her up with a sweat drop. "Are you alright?" That must have hurt.

"Ow…" she whined painfully. She hurt her head and elbow at the same time. It's the only two places that hurt the most. "What do you think? Do you want to try it also?" she asked Max and whined more. Hotarubi looked at Kai who had opened the front door and he headed out. She followed him again. "W-Wait, Hiwatari!" she grabbed his scarf again. She wanted the job so bad… so bad that she doesn't want to fail to be able to get it. Hotarubi looked up at Kai's glaring eyes. His violet eyes were so cold and icy and it told her to back off. She bit her lower lip and let go of his scarf. She felt like hitting him, but she didn't. So she just pushed him and glared back.

Tyson and Max were right behind them and they didn't want to say anything to the two people who were glaring at each other. It doesn't really matter because Hotarubi can always visit them whenever she can so there is no need to get mad. Hotarubi couldn't stand it anymore and ran to the gate. "Kai…" Tyson said quietly.

"This is not any of your business, Tyson," Kai glared at him. "I'm the one who makes the decisions here."

Max looked at Hotarubi who was trying to open the gates that were locked again. She started to kick it back and forth and looked back at Tyson and Max. "I have the key with me…" Max said, jogging away from Tyson and Kai. "I'll open them."

Kai watched Max unlocking the gates and Hotarubi smiled at Max. They talked a bit and she ran off, not looking back. Kai turned around and walked the other way around the mansion. Tyson followed him. "Where are you going, Kai?" the blue haired boy asked. Tyson felt bad about Hotarubi not working here, but he can't complain about. There's still hope for her if she tires to be nicer and ask for the job again.

"I don't have time to waste right now," Kai replied. "Ray called. We should go and pick him up at the airport." Max and Tyson both were in shock. Ray finally contacted and Kai did not tell them?

"Ray called?" Max and Tyson hurried beside Kai. "When?!"

"He called six in the morning." Kai looked back at Max. "Don't leave those gates open, Max. Miss Shelley and Mister Howe has the keys too, right?" Mr. Howe was the butler; he is the one with the jet-black hair and dark blue eyes who is in his forties.

Max nodded, going back to lock the gates. Tyson gave Kai a light punch on his arm. "Why didn't you mention about Ray earlier in the morning, Kai?" Tyson asked while they were still walking. They were going to pick Ray up now? Was that why Kai was rushing through the interview too? Tyson smiled happily, just glad to know that Ray was coming soon, took him long enough.

"I didn't have time," Kai said as Max ran to catch up to the both of them. "I have been busy lately so you can't expect me to tell you everything." Kai also have another thing to do before the day is over also. Something that he had not told his friends about yet, but he will have to tell them sooner or later since they were all involved.

They were walking behind the mansion and the three of them walked up to a blue car. Kai opened the car door in the driver's seat, Tyson sat in the front, and Max sat in the back behind Tyson. Kai started the car and drove backwards down the road to the back gates. It automatically opened and Kai drove out of there as the gates closed by itself. "Maybe we should get a limo," Tyson smiled at Kai.

"No," Kai said without thinking twice about it. "I prefer driving on my own." He drove a little fast than the other cars on the street. "If you want, go earn your own money and get one yourself."

Max sweat dropped at Tyson as Tyson just mumbled some things. "I guess you're not that rich…" Tyson looked out the window.

"I heard that," Kai glared at him. Not that it really bother Kai. He doesn't care he was rich or not, he just needed to stay in a quiet place and be left alone for a while. But of course, his friends wants to live with him for years and years, so his dream will have to wait. Kai sighed and continue to drive down the street.

----

Hotarubi was wondering around the city for a while now. She walked for a long time aimlessly and with no thought in mind. _What should I do now…?_ She finally asked herself, walking to a lake where no one was. Hotarubi wanted a quiet environment to think of things over. She sighed, kneeling down and put her hand in the cold water. She closed her eyes when the wind gently blows her hair behind her and she smiled.

"What does it matter?" Hotarubi pouted. "I don't need a job like that! I will find another way." She glared, hating Kai very much. Hotarubi should have never said anything about wanting the job because Tyson and his other friends were living there. No matter how much she would try to avoid Kai, she still have to talk to him from time to time because he is the MASTER Hiwatari. The wind suddenly got stronger and colder. Hotarubi looked up at the sky, it was getting darker than usual. "I wonder if it's going to rain…" she tapped her chin. Forget about Hiwatari, she had other things to worry about now. Hotarubi stood up and quickly ran.

"Excuse me, miss…" a boy's voice called to her.

Hotarubi hadn't run for more than two yards and she looked around. She saw a guy with black hair and golden yellow eyes and he was wearing Chinese clothes, or so it looked like it. He was carrying a dark green suitcase. _Ray Kon?!_ She turned her head away, covering her mouth with a blush. She was going to shout his name happily, but force it in. _Oh my god!_ She looked back at Ray to make sure that it was him. She blushed more, feeling like she wanted to go and tackle him to the ground and hug him all to herself. Hotarubi notice a girl by his side. She had long silver hair, which her hair passed her back, and she also had golden yellow eyes. The two girls looked at each other. The silver hair girl smiled and in her hands, she was carrying a big sky blue bag and she was wearing a white simple dress. Hotarubi then looked back at Ray. "Yes?" Hotarubi slightly smiled at him.

Ray smiled back. "Do you know where the Hiwatari Mansion is?" He had forgotten where it was or never knew it is. His friends were supposed to pick him up and take him there, but something happened at the airport so he had to leave early.

"Yeah, I do," Hotarubi nodded. In her mind, Kai appeared in her head. She glared, crossing her arms. "I can take you there myself. I was just going to walk by there anyway." That's a lie. She just wanted to walk with Ray.

"Hey, thanks," he chuckled.

Hotarubi turned her head around again and smiled widely. _He's so cute!_ She giggled. It was like a dream come true! She felt so lucky to be walking with him for a little while. Maybe she should try to get the job again so she could hang out with Ray more. Hotarubi looked back at Ray. "Your welcome," she smiled kindly at him. "Oh, and who is this girl?" she asked.

Ray looked at the silver hair girl with a smile. "Her name is Tao Ling," he said, looking back at Hotarubi. "Well, in America, we will have to say it as Ling Tao. We sort of just met." He laughed. Ray thought about his friends wondering around in the airport looking for him when he was already here. He hoped they won't get mad at him, but he will explain why when he sees them. He looked at Hotarubi, "My name is Ray Kon."

Ling smiled at Hotarubi again. "Hello," she said. The silver haired girl seems to be younger than Hotarubi. Maybe she's seventeen years old.

"Hi…" Hotarubi smiled at her and Ray. "I'm Hotarubi Kita." She walked backwards, pointing the way to Kai's mansion. "Follow me then." She turned and walked along the sidewalk.

Ray smiled at Ling. "Let's go, Ling."

She nodded. Ling looked up at the sky while the three of them were walking. "Oh my," she looked worry. "It looks like it's going to rain soon." It wasn't a good thing because she was wearing white.

Hotarubi and Ray both looked up at the sky. "Odd," Hotarubi stopped walking as the other two were behind her. "I thought today was going to be nice and clear and wonderful…" She narrowed her eyes, as the wind was getting colder. Thunder was heard from a long distant from where they were. Maybe it wasn't going to rain right now, but later because the sky isn't exactly darkened yet. "Ice…?" Hotarubi wondered.

Ray set his hand on Hotarubi's shoulder. "We better get going before it rains," he said. Who knows that the weather might turn out bad? Getting to Kai's mansion right away will be a pretty good idea. He didn't want to worry Tyson and them if he doesn't get there today.

The teal hair girl nodded to him. "Gotcha!" she started to walk again. Ray and Ling followed. They walked and walked. This was a chance for Hotarubi to talk to Ray, probably the only chance because she decided to find another to get a job. But nothing came to mind. She remained silent and continued to be. Ray and Ling were the only ones who talked.

"Say, Hotarubi," Ray tapped on her shoulder and she turned her head to him. "I heard one of my friends said that no one works at the mansion, right?"

She nodded. "Yep. Even though Hiwatari had fans, Tyson and Max also do, but they wouldn't work there. Maybe never, but Hiwatari manage to hire at least two people. I wanted to work there also, but he rejected me." Hotarubi pouted.

Ray smiled at her. "You were going to work there? It would have been fun if you did. Why didn't Kai hire you? The more people, the better."

Hotarubi recalled what Kai said. "I was rude, I didn't seem to make enough eye contacts, and he thinks I'm lying to him." She replied. "Huh, eye contacts he says. It's not my fault that I don't want to look at him!" Hotarubi shivered at the thought, but she keeps thinking about wanting to work there. She wanted to spend more time with Tyson, Max, and Ray. She even wants to spend her time with Emily, though not the butler since she hadn't exactly met him yet.

"Why won't other people want to work there also?" Ling asked kindly.

Hotarubi grinned. "Well, it's because they say that it's been haunted for many years now. I wonder how and why Hiwatari brought it…" Was it because he didn't want a lot of people near him and did Tyson and his friends know about that?

"Haunted?" Ray nervously asked her. "Is that really the reason?"

"Uh-huh," Hotarubi nodded, stopping at a red light. "I heard a family were killed there long time ago."

Ray chuckled uneasily. "Why do you want to work there?" he inquired. If it was really haunted and somebody was killed, no one would ever want to work there. And Hotarubi knew the a little history of the mansion, why would she want to work there for?

Hotarubi slightly shrugged. "Because I need to and want to. Tyson lives there too, so I want to work there."

"You know him?" Ray asked. Hotarubi explained that Tyson was her childhood friend and yesterday was the first time in a long time that they talked and seen each other. "I see," Ray nodded with a smile.

_He smiles too much!_ Hotarubi squealed in her head. She looked around as the green light was on and they walked across the street. There was a tall tower with a clock. It was already pass one. "Oh no! I forgot I have other things to be done today!" she faced them, panicking. She pointed to the clock tower. "When you reach there, turn to your right and walked down two blocks. Then to your left one more block and… keep walking and you will see Hiwatari's mansion!" Hotarubi hurried away.

"Ah, thank you!" Ling called to her. "I hope we see each other again!"

"Yeah, thanks!" Ray smiled happily.

"Your welcome!" Hotarubi waved at them as she ran. She has a little job that she must to before it even starts raining.

----

Kai, Tyson, and Max walked out of the airport building. "Where did that Kon go?" Kai growled. "He said that he would be here hours ago."

"I wonder what happen," Max sighed. "Maybe his airplane was delayed again."

"No way!" Tyson disagreed. Something like that doesn't happen often. Or so he thinks. "Maybe… maybe something happen to him." He weakly smiled. "Ray might have been kidnapped or murder or…"

Kai slapped the back of Tyson's head. "Nonsense!" he lightly glared at Tyson. Thunder was heard up in the distant sky and they three of them looked up. The sky was dark and it looked like it was going to rain soon. Kai looked at Tyson and Max. "Ray might have gone out of here already and headed back at the mansion," Kai said.

"What makes you so sure, Kai?" Max asked. "Even if Ray did leave already, he doesn't know where the mansion is. We never told him where it was." He wishes he did tell Ray though.

"Did you see those fan girls in there?" Kai asked.

Tyson nodded. "They were everywhere! Hey, do you think Ray gotten out of here because of those girls?" Ray could have and maybe that was why they didn't see him along the way. The three of them were almost got caught in the crowd with the girls too.

Kai nodded. "That's what I think."

"Then let's all go and find him," Tyson said, walking to the Kai's car.

"Are you kidding?" Kai walked ahead of him. Max followed them. "We're going to split up and find him in this city."

Max chuckled, "Good idea, Kai." He looked up at the sky. "If you don't mind, will you let us go back to the mansion so we could grab an umbrella?" Max asked as they all got in the car.

Kai started up the engine. "That's fine." He drove off. In no time, he stopped in front of the mansion's front gates. Tyson and Max got out. Kai opened one of the windows as Tyson looked in. "Get your umbrellas and start looking for Ray. We will meet back here in two hours. Got it?"

"Got it!" Tyson and Max both said.

Kai drove away. He wasn't worry if Ray was lost in the city. He was more worry that someone must have gone ahead and met Ray and took him and his Driger somewhere else. Kai didn't know for sure. "This better not be the work of the Zodiacs' Vessels," he mumbled angrily to himself. All Kai hope for is that all of his friends will be all right. He has to protect them.

After a while, all of a sudden, the rain came down pouring down hard. Kai could barely see anything much on the road and randomly packed somewhere. He noticed that there weren't that much cars on the streets now. It was a heavy rain; he mustn't get too careless and drive in it. It's dangerous, even for him. Who knows what will happen when you drive in the rain and you can't see a thing? Kai decided to wait for a while until the rain sort of stops pouring down too much. Lightning flashed and thunder roared.

A girl ran pass Kai's car. She looked familiar. Kai looked at the girl's back, she had teal hair. _Kita?_ Kai leaned closer to see if it was her. _Why is she doing here in the rain?_ The girl tripped. Kai hurry and got out of the car. She was holding a large plastic sheet in her arms. Kai was going to call out to her, but she stood back up and ran again. "Didn't she see me?" Kai asked himself, standing in the rain. There was something on the ground that she might have dropped. Kai walked to where she had tripped and he picked it up. His eyes widen. It was Hotarubi's white beyblade. Kai stared at the blue snake on the beyblade and clutched it in his hands and walked off in the same direction where Hotarubi went. "To leave and not notice her own valuable beyblade here…" Kai smirked. "…How stupid can she get?"

Kai was running to catch up to her also, but he doesn't want her to know that he was following her as well. Hotarubi entered a territory and Kai heard happy voices. He walked soundlessly in the rain and stood behind a stoned wall. He peeked as Hotarubi and some kids help her with the plastic sheet, putting it over a little garden that had yellow and red tulips. _Is this the homeless shelter that she volunteered at?_ Kai wondered, remembering that he had passed his place once and a while.

"Why didn't you guys go inside when I told you to?" Hotarubi asked the four kids, panting. She was tired from the running and the cold rain. "Go back inside now! You will all catch a cold!"

"But we're in our raincoats!" one of them protested. "And you're not."

Hotarubi pouted at one of the kids. "Never mind that, help me with this if that's why you're here." She spread the sheet over the garden and pinned it down. "Can one of you go and grab nails and a hammer?"

"I will!" a little girl ran inside the building. She came back after a moment and Hotarubi pinned the nails into the ground with the hammer. "The plastic sheet isn't such a good idea, is it?" the same girl asked, worried.

Hotarubi laughed. "I'm sorry, but this should hold for a little while. I didn't have enough money to get a stronger one," She grabbed the hammer and stood up. "Let's all get back inside…" she felt her pockets. _My beyblade!_ She searched her pockets. "Okay, inside everyone! Inside!" Hotarubi told them. She has to go find it before it flies anywhere in the wind.

The little kids all entered and Hotarubi walked back out. "Hotarubi, where are you going?" they asked, walking back out with her.

She laughed nervously. "I'm gonna go…" she trailed off, just looking at them.

"Where are you going?" the little girl asked. "This is also your home. You don't have other places to stay, but here. Stay until it stops raining. You're soaking wet!"

_So, Kita is homeless…_ Kai thought. The wind was rather getting colder and colder. He will get sick if he doesn't find shelter and a warm place to stay soon. He looked at Hotarub's back and sighed. Kai feel somewhat guilty about her. _Guess that's why she wanted the job so bad…_ He thought. She was homeless.

The kids grabbed Hotarubi's hands, trying to drag her into the building. "It's okay," Hotarubi pulled back. "I know where to run and hide from the rain. So you kids should just go in. Don't worry about me."

"Where are you going to hide from the rain then?" one of the kids asked. "At that haunted mansion?" Hotarubi smiled weakly and nodded. "Have they accepted you to work there, miss?" She nodded again, giving them a half smile.

Kai chuckled at her lie.

Hotarubi kneeled down to their height. "Now that I have my new job at the mansion, I will be able to buy you all gifts!" She winked as they all smiled. "Oh! Look at the time! It's time to get back to work! Let go of my hands, kids, before they fire me from a well-paying job." She smiled happily at them and they let go.

"Here, use my umbrella to get back to the mansion," the little girl gave her black umbrella to Hotarubi. "Make sure you come by and visit us later, okay?" The teal hair girl nodded. "Pinky swear, Hotarubi!" the little girl held out her pinky at her.

Hotarubi laughed and used her pinky and held the little girl's pinky. "I will make sure I will come back to visit everyone here!" she smiled at the little kids. The rest of them also pinky swear with them, laughing. "Okay, now go in! It's getting colder here." The little kids all looked behind Hotarubi, silent. The teal haired girl looked behind her also and Kai walking up to them. _Damn…_ She glared. _What is he doing here?_

Kai stood a yard from them and said nothing. "That's Kai Hiwatari!" one of the kids shouted happily.

They were going to run up to Kai, but Hotarubi held them all back. "How many times do I need to tell you all to go inside?" she asked, frustrated that Kai was here. She pushed them all into the building. "My boss is here now, so be at ease I will be okay." She shut the door with a sigh. Hotarubi glanced back at Kai with an irritated face. "So… how long were you here?" she asked, splitting some rainwater out of her mouth.

He grabbed the black umbrella from the ground and opened it. "I saw you running pass my car and I followed you here," he replied with a shrug.

"From the start then," Hotarubi sighed hopelessly, turning her back to the door and slide against it to sit on the ground. "Great… well, I just wanted the kids to be happy so I lied to them about me working at your mansion. I hope you understand that, Hiwatari."

Kai reached into his pocket and held out the white beyblade to her. "You drop this," he told her.

Hotarubi jumped and grabbed her beyblade. "Ah! I thought I lost you, Asudem!" she cried happily. "What would I do if I get in trouble?"

"Asudem?" Kai raised one of his eyebrows. "Is that your bitbeast's name?" he asked. When an odd name.

She looked at him in silent. "Ah! You saw my beyblade! You even touched it!" she pointed at him. No one was supposed to even look at it if they had a battle, but Kai looked at it already. Her rule was broken. There is only one way to redeem it. "Hiwatari! I challenge you to a bey battle!" Hotarubi looked up at him.

"No thanks," he put the umbrella over him and her. "Let's go back to the mansion."

Hotarubi shook her head. "Never! We must battle now!" she said with determined eyes. There was no way she will let him walk away without a fight. It was her pride. Hotarubi then paused after recalling what Kai had just said a second ago. "Back to the mansion?" she asked. Kai nodded. "What are you up to?" Hotarubi looked at him, suspiciously.

He turned his head away. "Nothing."

"Then no," she glared. "Why would I go back with you? You didn't even hire me and you called me rude! I will show you more rudeness if you want to see it again."

Kai lightly glared back. "Look, Kita. I have thought about it over already. Considering someone who wants to work at a haunted mansion, I accept you to work as a maid there." Hotarubi was speechless and just stared at him. "What? Are you also afraid of that place also?" Kai crossed his arms.

"Course not," she said, rubbing the back of her head. "It's just that, you changed your mind pretty fast… But it's like I thought, you can't even make decisions in life."

"What?" Kai glared.

Hotarubi grinned at him. "Well, like the way you always switch back and forth in different kinds of teams for the past few years on the beyblade tournaments. It's like you don't even know what you're doing." She laughed.

Kai grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. "As if you know anything about me," he glared hard at her, clutching her wrist. "So don't talk like you know everything, Kita."

She glared again. "I didn't say that I know everything, Hiwatari," she said, trying to get away from him. "Now let go. You're hurting a helpless little girl, dumb ass." Kai pushed her away and looked the other way, mad. She didn't know his reasons and she shouldn't have said anything about it. Hotarubi whined in pain silently, touching her wrist. _Dumb ass._ She repeated again in her mind.

He looked back at her as she still touching her wrist. Kai walked up to her, grabbing her hand. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Hotarubi took a stepped from him, slapping his hand away. She was not happy to even talk further with him. "Duh, I'm OKAY, but when you said that I couldn't work there in your mansion hurt a lot more than this." Hotarubi pouted at Kai.

"Yeah, whatever," Kai grabbed her hand. "Let's go to my car and back to the mansion." Hotarubi broke feel from him and stayed by the door of the homeless shelter. Kai looked at her. "If you think I'll just leave you here, Kita, then you truly know me less than you think you do." He grabbed her hand. "Come on, you're going to live there with Tyson and the others now. Isn't that your reason that you also wanted to work there?"

She pulled him back when he was pulling her. "Well, yeah, but I can go there tomorrow or whenever I want!" she said. "Why must I go now?" Hotarubi glared at him

Kai looked back at her. He really didn't how to answer that one. All he wanted to do was bring her back to the mansion, nothing more than that. He just kept pulling her, but she was also pulling him back. They both stopped pulling each other and glared. "Stop being stubborn!" the both of them said at the same time.

Hotarubi was going talk back at him, but she didn't. She looked at the stoned wall where a head was peeking at them, but that person had a hood over the eyes. It was a girl with long icy blue hair. She moved her lips in a short sentence, and Hotarubi took a moment to see what she was saying and nodded.

Kai looked around, sensing something. But there was no one or nothing else around. "That's strange…" he said, looking around carefully again. "I felt like we were being watched… maybe it was just my imagination."

"If you want me to live at your mansion so much, then let's go," Hotarubi mumbled angrily, dragging him in the rain. It still hadn't let up yet. _I don't think we would ever get along._ She thought to herself.

Kai continued to look around. He was sure that someone was watching them from afar. _I'm going to have to talk to my friends about this soon… before it's too late._ Kai narrowed his eyes. He turned his attention back to Hotarubi and dragged her the other way. "My car is this way," he told her. Hotarubi mumbled on, letting herself being drag by Kai Hiwatari.

**­­­****------**


	5. Enemies Among Us

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**­­­------**

**My Words, Your Words**

**_Story written by:_ the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 5 – Enemies Among Us**

The rain had already stopped coming down by the time Kai and Hotarubi reached back to the mansion. Hotarubi was holding a plastic bag in her hand, looking drained. Tyson, Ray, and Max were standing in front of the two when Kai opened the front door. "Hey, Kai," Ray waved at him with his carefree smile.

"Good, you're here," Kai quickly walked pass his friends and up the stairs. Hotarubi followed him. "I'm going to change. You three stay here, I need to talk to you guys later about something important."

Tyson blinked at Max. "Why's that?" Tyson asked, looking at Max and Ray. They just shrugged. Tyson then looked at Hotarubi with a wide smile. "And where are you going, Hotarubi?"

She turned around, walking backwards up the stairs slowly. "Hiwatari give in to me and let me work here now. I'm allowed to live here too! He is going to show me my room so I'm going to change into new and dry clothes." She showed the plastic bag that she was holding, laughing.

"I didn't give in to you," Kai lightly glared at her.

Hotarubi turned around to walk up the stair more correctly. She sticks her tongue at him. "Yes, you did. I didn't even ask you to work here again, did I?" she questioned, challenging him to a verbal fight.

Kai didn't say anything back because his head felt heavy. He looked up and saw a girl with long silver hair and golden yellow eyes. She smiled at him as he stopped in the middle in the middle of the stairs. "And who might you be?" Kai narrowed his eyes at her. "Just another stranger in my mansion?"

"Um…" she slightly blushed, afraid of the way he was looking at her.

Ray hurried up the stairs to them. "I brought Ling here," Ray explained. Kai turned his head to him. Ray chuckled nervously, "I helped myself in one of the rooms and… Ling is going to live here as well. You don't mind, right?"

Kai sighed. Who owns the mansion again? Oh yeah, Kai. He looked at Ray and turned away, walking back up the stairs. "Whatever," Kai replied. Right now, he's tired and sick of talking. When he tells his friends that this was a haunted mansion that can be their penalties for doing things without Kai's permission. Something to spook them every night was a good idea. Let them have nightmares for eternality!

Hotarubi moved her hand on her head through her wet hair. She didn't feel so well. All she wanted to do now was lay down for days and days. She closed her eyes, resting them while holding onto Kai's scarf since he was leading the way to her room. "Hurry and show me my room," Hotarubi said, tugging his scarf like she was riding a horse.

Ling watched Kai and Hotarubi walked pass her as they continue to walk down the hall. She looked at Ray with a worry face. "I hope Kai isn't mad at me for staying here," she said, nervously.

Ray smiled. "I'm pretty sure that he is mad, but he agreed anyway. He can't go back on his words now." He laughed, assuring Ling that she really can stay in the mansion with him and his friends. "So don't worry about, Ling,"

The silver hair girl nodded with a small smile.

"So…" Max looked up at Ray and Ling. "Care introduce us to her, Ray?" Max chuckled as Tyson nodded in agreement with the usual big smile.

----

"Choose whatever room you want," Kai told Hotarubi. She was still holding onto his scarf with her eyes closed. "It doesn't really matter. There are a lot of rooms to pick from." He sounded exhausted.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Kai's back. Her vision was burry so she closed her eyes again. "Okay…" she responded tiredly. _What a huge haunted mansion… _Hotarubi continue to walk with him and holding his scarf. They walked for a moment and she let go of his scarf. She just randomly opened a bedroom door and entered the room. She yawned and closed the door. Hotarubi opened her eyes to the neat and clean bedroom. She has not seen one like this for a long time. There was a bed, a closet, a desk, a drawer, and a lamp on top of the desk. Hotarubi grabbed her new clothes and tried them on.

Hotarubi wore a small blue T-shirt with a bit white capital T on it. On the letter T was RAE in blue. She wore black baggy pants with a black belt and a little chain handing down. She kept her black fishnet fingerless gloves on since it didn't feel like it was wet. And she grabbed a long black string and tied it around her neck, tying it into a sort of bow. Kai brought the clothes that she was wearing since she didn't have any money with her now. Hotarubi then lay down flat on the bed with her face in the puffy pillow. She slowing warped the while blanket around her, but just over her waist because she was getting rather really warm. Hotarubi heard her someone calling her name in a distant, but she didn't want to get up to find out whom. She lay there, falling right to sleep.

There was a knock on her door. "Hotarubi? Are you in here?" it was Tyson's voice. The door slowly opened and Tyson peeped his head in. He was looking for her from room to room and he finally found her. Tyson was going to ask her about how she moved to America because he remembers that she was supposed to be in China, living there with her family. Did they all moved to America also? He walked into the room and stood by the bed where Hotarubi was sleeping on. "Hotarubi?" he whispered her name. There was no respond. Tyson notice her face red and he felt her forehead. Her head was hot, not normal at all _Oh no. She caught a fever!_ Tyson's eyes widen.

"A-Al… ex…?" Hotarubi mumbled after a moment when she felt someone's hand on her forehead.

_Huh? Alex?_ Tyson blinked a couple of times. _Who is that?_

Kai walked by Hotarubi's from-now-on room. He had already changed his clothes, but his head felt heavily by the minute. He looked at Tyson and Hotarubi. "Damn…" he sighed. "Why did she pick a room next to mine?"

Tyson looked back, hearing Kai's voice. "Oh, Kai!" he whispered to his friend. "Hotarubi has a fever! Get something to treat her fast!"

Kai stood in the hallway for a long moment until he just got what Tyson had said. His head wasn't working so well either. Kai walked into the room, looking at Hotarubi. "Oh… I'll get Emily to take care of Kita while we're out then… Let's go, Tyson." Kai turned to walk back out of the room.

"Where are we going?" Tyson asked, setting his hand off of Hotarubi's head. He followed Kai down the hallway and to the stairs. Ray and Max were still standing there, looking up at Kai and Tyson. Ling wasn't around there now.

"I want you guys to meet someone," Kai said, going down the steps of the stairs. He turned around to walk into the living room and then in the kitchen. Max, Ray, and Tyson followed him as Kai headed for the back doors of the mansion. Ling was in the kitchen, looking for a snack in the refrigerator. Emily was cleaning the sink and turned her head when Kai called her. "Kita is sick. Give her something healthy when we're out," Kai told her. "Her room is next to mine."

Emily nodded. "Yes, Master Hiwatari." She watched the four boys walk outside and she closed the door behind them.

"Why did she pick a room so close to yours?" Max asked. It wasn't like Hotarubi to do such a thing since she dislike Kai a lot ever since she saw him and talked to him.

Kai groaned. "I don't know," he said. Kai looked for his car where it should be, but it wasn't there. "Oh, great…" He forgot that he packed it in the front of the mansion when he was with Hotarubi. "My car is this way, guys." Kai turned around and walked to the side of the mansion and his friends followed him again. They walked by the garden.

"Are you feeling alright, Kai?" Ray asked, seeing that Kai was glaring and his cheeks were red. There is no way Kai was blushing because Ray hadn't really see Kai blush, ever. He did come back to the mansion-soaking wet with Hotarubi of course.

Kai didn't say anything for a moment, unlocking the front gates of the mansion with his silver key and opened it. "I'm fine," he finally said, walking up to his car. They way he was feeling right now; he shouldn't be driving his car. Kai looked at Ray, "Would you mind driving?"

Tyson raised his hand in the air. "I want to!" he smiled.

"No," Kai lightly glared at Tyson. "Knowing if it's you, I can't feel comfortable being in the same car as you." Kai looked back at Ray as Tyson murmur some words to Max. "Well?" Kai asked, trusting Ray the most.

Ray nodded. "Sure, if you want me to. But are you sure you're all right? You look like you also have a fever." Kai shouldn't be forcing himself moving around too much, he should be in bed if he is sick. "We can always go where you want us to go later," Ray said.

"Shut up and get in," Kai told him and the other two. He got into the front seat. Ray sat in the driver's seat while Tyson and Max sat in the back. "It has to be today before anything gets out of hand, got that?" Kai told his friends.

"And why is that?" Max inquired. "Will you fill us in before we get there, Kai?"

Kai rubbed his forehead. He didn't feel like telling them now, his head hurts so much. "We will talk once we get there," Kai said. Ray started the car and followed Kai's directions as he was driving through the city.

"Oh, Ray," Tyson smiled. "So, why were you late and why did you left early AND how you got to the mansion when no one told you where it is?" Tyson forgot to ask Ray about that when Kai was out there looking for Ray in the rain as well. When Kai drove off and Max and Tyson entered the mansion to grab umbrellas for themselves but find that Ray was already at the mansion with the long silver hair girl.

Ray laughed. "Well, the airplane that was I supposed to be on got delayed so I have to wait," he first explained, looking out at the street. "Mariah and the others were with me until I was off to America. Then Ling bumped into us, looking lost. She said that she was also heading to America and she thought she got left behind because her plane was supposed to leave already. I told Ling was I was also heading here myself so we stunk together."

"That's how you two met?" Max asked with a smile. "What happen next?"

Kai sighed, pointing the way where Ray should be going. Ray continued his little story. "We both got on the plane afterwards. When we got here, there were these fan girls all around and they call came at me! I'm happy that I'm well loved by them, but it was too much for me. I had to get out of there, taking Ling with me. Well, she told me that she had nowhere to live so I thought I should being her to Kai's mansion. But of course, I didn't know where it was and that's how I met Hotarubi. She told me where the mansion was located." Ray then laughed, "Maybe we should hire bodyguards."

"That Ling Tao didn't have anywhere to live?" Kai glared, ignoring about the bodyguards part. "Then why did she come to America?"

"Ling was planning to stay at an apartment," Ray explained. "So that's why I told her to stay at your mansion, Kai. Of course, she will make it up for her living."

"Huh," Kai closed his eyes, leaning back. "What is her reason for coming here?"

Ray shrugged. "I think she said something about studying aboard… no, not that. Ling said that she was attending a university close around here. She wanted to know more about America and help out her family back in China." He nodded, remembering that was what she told him when they were on the airplane, talking about it.

"Wait," Tyson remembered something. "Ling's last name is Tao, right? Is she the daughter of the White Tigers' coach?"

"I have ask her that before," Ray said. "They may have the same last names, but she said that she doesn't know him."

Max chuckled. "It would be freaky if it was such a small world." Though it may seem that it already is in a way. The more people you know, the smaller the world will get.

"Ling seems to be a very nice person," Tyson chuckled, thinking out loud to himself. Ray sounded quite fond of her also. He wonder if Ling would like to learn how to beyblade, but she seem the type to dislike it or something. Tyson looked out through the window with a smile. There were some clouds around, but the sunlight was shining through them. He looked up at the sky where there was a very light rainbow that was slowly fading away already.

Tyson then notice some person wearing weird clothes, standing on top of one of the tall buildings, looking down at Tyson or maybe the car or something around them. Knowing it was a girl, her long icy blue hair reached to her knee length. She was wearing a light black cloak with the hood over her head and eyes. The girl was wearing white leg warmers and underneath it was violet stockings, the other was longer than the other. Tyson looked closer, but then the way Ray was driving, some sign blocked his view. When Ray kept driving and the sign was out of the way, she was gone.

"Did you hear what I just said, Tyson?" Max tapped on his shoulder.

Tyson looked at Max, scratching his face. "Er, no…" Tyson looked back at the same building again, but she still wasn't there. _That's… strange…_ Tyson thought. Was it just his imagination and nothing more? What a creepy imagination. Tyson recalled back when he was staring at her when she was staring back. She had lonely dark violet eyes… Tyson looked back at Max. "So, what did you say?" Tyson smiled.

----

Hotarubi opened her eyes, remembering why she was laying on the bed. She sat up, rubbing her head. She had only slept for a few minutes. Sighing, she looked around the room. Her door was open too. Hotarubi remember closing it when she was changing her clothes. Did someone come in? Hotarubi stretched. Then something started to hurt on her right arm. She grunted, holding her right arm as it keeps on aching. "Ow…" she glared. Hotarubi looked at her arm, removing her hand. She gasped. There was a blue look-alike reptile scale on her skin, in the size of dollar coin. "Oh no…" she whimpered in pain, squeezing her arm.

She had to get out of here before Tyson or anyone else comes in. Hotarubi stood up, but fell back down. She was feeling really weak to move around. Clutching her arm, she forced herself up from the bed and opened the window. Luckily, there was a tree nearby and she slowly got out of the mansion. Hotarubi held onto the tree branch hard and cautiously getting down to the ground. She panted; her fever was really ruining her concentration. Hotarubi almost reached to the bottom, but then slipped and fell on the ground. She lay there, taking a moment just to rest. Standing up on her feet, she hurried to the front gates. It wasn't lock this time. Hotarubi smiled happily to herself and quickly ran out of the place before anyone notice.

----

Kai and his friends walked into the same building where Kai really first saw Hotarubi before even knowing her. They walked up the stairs as Tyson, Max, and Ray looked around in silent. Kai lead them up to the top floor of the ten levels building. No one was around on that floor and Kai's friends continue to follow him.

"Are we there yet?" Tyson asked.

"We're already here," Kai said, looking at the door. He knocked two times on it and waited for an answer.

A man's deep voice called from the other side of the door. "Who's there?"

"Kai Hiwatari," Kai said. "I'm here with my friends to talk about an certain matter, Mr. Swift."

There was a split second of silence and the door opened. A man, in his 30s, had dull blue hair and dull blue eyes. "Come on in," he nodded at Kai and the others. The man name Mr. Swift gestured for them to enter the room. When he turned his back at them, his hair was in a ponytail and his hair reached lower back. "Please have a seat," the dull blue hair man added.

The four of them slowly took their time entering and looking around the room. What was so important that they all must come to this kind of building? It was a normal building where people help you fine jobs. In this room, there was a large desk with folders on it and a black chair beyond it. In front of the large desk were two chairs, but Mr. Swift pulled two more chairs for each of them. There were large windows and some other cabinets around them.

"So," Max sat down on his chair, so did his other three friends. "What is this about Kai? Mr. Swift?"

Mr. Swift smiled, sitting in the black chair from the other side of the desk where the four guys were sitting and facing him. "I prefer being call by my first name, Daiki."

"Okay then, Daiki," Tyson nodded at him. From Daiki's view, Max sat at the end on the right and Tyson sat next to him. Next to Tyson were Kai and then Ray. "So, what's up?" Tyson questioned, looking at his friends and at Daiki.

Daiki looked at Kai. "So you really didn't tell them now, did you?" Kai didn't say anything. Daiki leaned back against his chair and smiled at the four guys who were sitting in his office. "Alright. I will let them know if you couldn't bring up the courage to tell them yourself, Kai." Daiki chuckled.

Kai gave him a light glare. He wasn't in the mood to get angry with anyone right now.

Ray looked at Kai and at Daiki. This sounded pretty serious, from the look of those two faces. What were they hiding and talking about?

"I have bad news for the four of you," Daiki started, putting his smiling face aside. "There is a team of members out there right now, taking bit beast away from anyone who has them. Even a if one of the bit beast is living in a laptop." Tyson, Ray, and Max sat still, looking calm. "I'm referring to your friend, Kenny," Daiki said. "Anything can happen to him if he is left defenseless."

"Who are they?!" Tyson was starting to feel pump up, standing from his seat. "Why are they taking what aren't theirs?" If anything ever happen to Kenny and Dizzi, Tyson would never forgive whoever would harm those two.

"They call themselves, Zodiacs' Vessels," Daiki told him. He looked at Tyson with a reassuring face. "Don't worry about it, Tyson Granger. Kenny is just a small fish. Those people are going after the bigger fishes first."

Tyson made a clueless look, sitting back down. "Huh?"

Kai rubbed his head. "Meaning, Kenny will be fine… for now. After getting the stronger bit beasts of stronger bey bladers, the Zodiacs' Vessels will go after the weaker ones." Kai was now starting to feel really sick. He should have listen to Ray and stayed just in bed. Kai could talk to them about this next time, but he was worry if he didn't tell his friends today.

"Okay then," Ray looked at Daiki with a serious face. "If they call themselves the Zodiacs' Vessels, then there are twelve of them going after us, am I right? Just like the Chinese Zodiacs?"

"Precisely," Daiki nodded, looking at them with his dull blue eyes. He rubbed his chin, thinking hard. "A week ago, I have heard from Judy… there is an suspicious character among the All Starz."

Max was the one who stood up from this seat this time. "Mom said that?" he asked, worried. His mother had never told him anything like that to him. Max had left to live in Kai's mansion and he didn't even know anything like that was going on. How come she didn't tell him when this was a serious matter?

Daiki looked through his folders on his desk. He only took a second and open one of the folders. There were photos in it and he laid them in front of the four guys. "These photos were taken by my men," Daiki said. "Photos of the person who had been hanging around with the All Starz recently."

The four of them leaned closer. Max took one of them and looked at it closely. In the photo, Michael and Eddy looked like they were having a bey battle, just training. Steve and Emily were standing under a tree, talking to a kid. The image was taken quite far away, but Max can make out the kid's appearances. It was a little girl with long black hair with white highlights with an emotionless face.

"If you're wondering…" Daiki slightly smiled at them. "It's a little boy. He goes by the name, Ice."

"What?!" Tyson's eyes widen. The little boy has such a long hair! His hair length reached passes his back. "There is no way that this kid is a boy!" Tyson nearly shouted. He looked closely at another image of the boy who was thought to be suspicious. He was wearing a brown shirt, white pans, black old fingerless gloves, and brown shoes. His eyes were very light in the color of gray. "That's so weird…" Tyson mumbled to himself, hard to believe that it was a boy.

Ray looked away from the photos. "But what makes this kid suspicious?" He didn't get why the kid was suspected. What can a little kid do to a group of teenagers?

"That's what I have been thinking…" Daiki sighed, depress. "I have been doing some little investigating. The little boy also beyblade and he once challenge Steve. And the kid won. Then he just started to hang out with them for a couple of weeks. I don't know his background yet thought." Daiki then remembered something and looked at Max. "Oh, Judy just gave me a call hours ago, but the storm cut her off and she hadn't call since."

"What did she call about?" Max inquired. He didn't remember anybody name Ice. He hangs around the All Starz too before he left to live with his friends in the mansion, but he never saw the kid from anywhere before.

Daiki gave a light shrug. "It was only a moment, but she sounded she was in a hurry. Judy told me something about the kid. He was started to cause trouble."

"And what were her exact words?" Kai asked.

"…" Daiki thought about when she talked over the phone with him. "She said, 'Mr. Swift! That boy is trouble! He has starting to…' that is what I heard. But what I heard more was what in the background. There were a sound of thunder and an odd beast roaring and then some crushes."

Tyson stood up again. "That sounds like they're in danger!" he said. "How can you be so calm about?"

"I have already contact many people about it," Daiki told Tyson with a nod. "I'm not sure what did happen, but I suggested the All Starz should be here in this city so my men can watch everyone here." Daiki looked at Kai. "I trust you have no objections that Judy and her group will be living in your mansion for awhile, Kai Hiwatari?"

Kai mumbled with a nod, leaning back in his chair.

"Hey," Tyson smiled. "That means two Emilys in the mansion! Sounds fun!" He felt like dancing around in the room, but restricted himself from doing so.

Max finally sat down. "Are there anything more about the Zodiacs' Vessels that we need to know?" Max questioned.

"In fact, yes," Daiki nodded, putting the photos back in the folder and piled it away. "Every one of the Zodiacs' Vessels are all around the world, taking bit beasts away. Though, I am sure that they want to do it in secret so they either become friends with them and then slowly take them out one by one, or taking it the bit beasts away without the bey blader realizing it."

"Then that means…" Ray was even more worried now. "My friends back in China… Lee and the others…"

Daiki looked at Ray, standing up from his seat. "Actually, I have been tracing their steps for months now. About half of them are here, right now, somewhere in America or this city. Most likely they are after you and your friends, the Bladebreakers."

"That's a useful information you have there," Max smiled. "You must be working really hard." Knowing that most of the Zodiacs' Vessels, some of the others will be fine for now. Just as long he and his friends take them out before they take anymore bitbeasts.

"I feel I need to get more than I have now," Daiki admitted it. It still wasn't enough to know what really was going on and why.

Tyson smiled. "Well, then there is no worries! All we need to worry about the Zodiac… uh, a Zodiacs' Vessels coming after us, right? Then everything will be okay! We're a great team after all!"

Ray nodded as the rest of them stood up. "But why are they stealing the bit beasts for?"

"That, I do not know," Daiki replied. He looked at his watch and then back at them. "Excuse me, but I have other business in the next few minutes. This was all I had also told Kai and I still have so much more to tell you all. I will give you a call when I'm free of my businesses again."

"Fine," Kai nodded. "We will leave things like this for now."

"Thank you for your time," Max smiled, but his mind he was still worry.

"Yep, thanks," Tyson nodded at Daiki. "Even though we didn't spend so much time in here, but I feel I know a bit of what will be going on now."

Ray also smiled with a nod. "Please let us know when something comes up also."

"Of course," Daiki smiled back at them. "Have a good evening." Kai turned to the door first and his friends followed. Just when Kai open the door, the phone ringed. Daiki picked it up. "Daiki Swift," he said, smiling and waving good-bye when Tyson waved at him. Daiki was silent and his smile faded. "What?" he sounded angry. The four guys looked back at him. "Which hospital?" Daiki lightly glared. There was another silence. "I will be there right away." He hung up the phone and looked at Kai and his friends.

"So, what happen?" Kai asked, curious.

Daiki sighed, clutching his hands into fists on the desk. "After the storm had ended…" he closed his eyes. "Judy and the All Starz are coming to this city as planned, but… they are injure and sent to the hospital just now. Their bit beasts were taken away from them also."

"WHAT?" Max asked, shook, hitting wall with his fist. His friends were also in shook. "No way… it can't be," Max's eyes sadden.

**­­­------**

**Note from "**the sound of the bells**":**

**I would love to thank to the reviewers for reading this far. And I'm also here to talk a little about what the reviews were asking about in chapter four. The answers will reveal themselves as you continue to read. I don't want to spoil the story because they are all connected together.**

**Anyway, that's all. Thank you again.**


	6. Vows

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**­­­------**

**My Words, Your Words**

**_Story written by:_ the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 6 – Vows**

The All-Starz's captain, Michael, was sitting on a chair in the hall of the big hospital that was well known to the city and the country. Steven was sitting next to him, looking quite mad and hurt. Michael had an eye patch over his right eye and some bruises on his face and arms. Steven left arm was broken, he's wearing bandages, and a few cuts on his face and bruises on his other arm. They both of them have been sitting there for nearly three hours now and they were worry about the other All-Starz members.

Michael lightly glared at the wall in front of him. "…How did we end up losing our bit beasts again?" he asked out loud. This wasn't their first time, but seeing it happening again… they weren't so happy about it. Michael clutched his hands into fists. He will never rest easy until he gets the bit beasts back and help his teammates.

Steven also really mad, so mad he didn't say a word. He looked at his broken arm in bitterness. After a moment of silence between them, Steven said, "I told you we shouldn't have trusted that damn boy."

"It's…" Michael glared down at the floor. It was so painful when you trust someone and that person end up hurting you in the end. "It's my fault." Michael quietly said.

"Damn right it is," Steven told him without even looking at Michael. "But it's entirety our fault too… we didn't care who he was or where he came from," Steven groaned, angrily. "Judy was the one who held suspicious about that little damn boy, but we ignored her warnings… and now look what he had done!" He stands up and faced Michael with a glare. "Judy got hurt because of us and she is being treated, but we don't even know if Emily and Eddy going to be all right!!" Steven pounded his fist to the wall. He was so worry about his two other friends who injuries are life-threatening.

Michael glanced up at Steven and then looked back at the ground. He didn't know what to say. There weren't any words to form to apologize for what had happened. "If anything happens to Eddy or Emily… I will never forgive Ice. Never." Michael swears to himself. Either way, Michael will make sure he gets all of the bit beasts back to where and whom it belongs to.

Understanding this feeling that Michael has, Steven nodded. He turned around to walk away, but then he noticed someone familiar. "Is that…?" Steven looked at a blond boy walking with a group with some other guys. "Hey, Max!" he called.

"Steven!" Max smiled slightly, happy to see him. He then saw Michael who just turned his head up to looked at Max and his other friends behind him. The Blade Breakers walked up to Steven and Michael in the hallway. Max looked at the wounds on his two friends' body with sad eyes. It took he and his friends a couple hours to arrive at this hospital because of the traffic.

Tyson walked closer to take a good look at the bruises. "Those are some injuries," Tyson said, whistling.

"You came here just to say that?" Michael let out a little chuckle. "You're still the same as always, Tyson."

Ray and Kai looked at each other. "Where are the others?" Ray asked, meaning Judy, Eddy, and Emily. He was afraid that the other three All-Starz members might have major wounds than the two All Starz members here.

"I'm over here," Judy appeared the opposite way where the Blade Breakers had entered the scene. They all looked at her. She was sitting in a wheel chair and a nurse, a man with black hair and green eyes, was behind Judy, pushing the wheel chair that she was sitting on. The guys can see both of Judy's legs had been wrapped with bandages. She looked tired, but force a smile when Max looked at her. "How are you, Max?" Judy asked with a gentle voice, waving slightly at her son.

"Mom!" Max rushed to her.

While Max was talking to his mother, Kai turned his attention to Michael and Steven. "Tell me what happen before that little boy attacked you guys," Kai sort of demanded.

Steven looked at Kai, a bit shock. "How did you know?"

"Some man name Daiki told us what was going on," Tyson answered for Kai. Then Tyson remembered something and looked around. "By the way, where is Daiki?"

"He said he had to go and meet up with one of the doctors here," Ray explained. He looked at Michael with a serious face. "So, what did happen?" Ray questioned, curious.

Michael sighed, not in the moon to even talk about it. But he looked up at them anyway. "More than a couple of weeks ago…" Michael started. "The kid just showed up out of no where and challenged me to a bey battle. I didn't want to do anything with the boy, so Steven accepted it for me because the boy really wanted to battle and he kept following us around. I guess the kid didn't care, just as long it was one of us."

Max heard their conversation and turned his head their way, listening what had happened when he left to live at the mansion.

"It was shocking when the kid won," Michael said. "Then we all sort of became friends with him when he still kept following us around. He say that his name was Ice." Michael sighed again, looking away. "I don't know why, but Judy just started to say things that Ice was up to something. 'What can a little boy do against all of us?' I ask. Ice never really smiled, but he was a good and understanding friend. We all trusted him…"

"But then today he attacked us and took our bit beasts!" Steven growled angrily. "How could he do that to us?!" He regretted knowing Ice and taking on his challenge since they met.

Tyson was confused and asked, "You mean he took you all four on, alone?" If this was true, Ice must be really strong for a boy at his age. "…Does he have a bit beast? What kind?" Tyson also asked.

Michael nodded. "He has a bit beast, but he didn't use it when Steven and Ice were bey battling each other. Today was the first time we ever saw his bit beast. And no, he didn't face us alone. He had help and they both took away our bit beasts."

"I don't know how, but…" Steven rubbed his chin, thinking back. "I think those two caused the storm."

"What?" Kai raised one of his eyebrows. Well, many bit beasts can do anything recently now so there was no need to wonder why. Kai looked at Judy with more questions on his mind. "Daiki told me that you said this boy, Ice, was suspicious. How did you know that?"

Judy took a second to recall it. "I just had this weird feeling…" she replied. "When he first appeared, I have been gathering information about him but he didn't have any kind of background. No body knew who he was, but only know his name." Judy thought about when she had called Daiki. "Mr. Dickenson contacted me about a new group of people weeks before Ice appeared. This new group had been stealing bit beasts slowly all over the world for months now. Years maybe."

Kai crossed his arms. "What did Mr. Dickenson say to you?" he asked.

"He didn't say much," Judy said. "He wanted me to contact his sister's son, Daiki Swift."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Tyson waved his arms in the air. "Mr. Dickenson has a sister? So that means Daiki's uncle is Mr. Dickenson then, right?" Judy nodded at Tyson. _How bizarre…_ Tyson thought. He did not know that Mr. Dickenson even have other relatives out here.

Ray looked at Kai. "Did you know that, Kai?"

Kai nodded. He didn't have the time to tell his friends about Daiki, but now they know. He looked at Judy again. "So when you called Daiki, he had told you about the Zodiacs' Vessels?"

"Yes, he did," Judy nodded to him. "Mr. Swift and his close friends had been looking at least one of the members of the Zodiacs' Vessels for years now. This wasn't made public because it was rather a big issue and they are very well hidden. Then Daiki and I put things together and figure Ice was one of the Zodiacs' Vessels."

"…How?" Michael and Steven both asked.

Judy looked at Max with a small smile. "I knew something was going to happen eventually so I waited until you left to live with your friends." Max looked very depress, unable to say anything at the moment. Judy then said to the others, "As I have explained before, Ice didn't have any other backgrounds. Daiki had some few reports from the other beybladers having their bit beasts being stolen by their 'friend' as well. Ice's motives have matched to those reports. That's how we figure it all out, but before Ice attacked, we couldn't do anything until we have evidences that he is part of the Zodiacs' Vessels."

Kai closed his eyes. "But now you know… Where is this kid now? And who helped him to capture the bit beasts of the All-Starz members?" Kai then was reminded the time when he also stole bit beasts. It was such a bad memory to him and he couldn't bring himself to apologies to anyone about it.

"We all black out after the battle with Ice and the other person who helped him," Michael told him. "The one who helped him was a girl with very long light brown hair." Michael remembered.

Steven nodded, "Maybe she is like thirteen or fourteen years old. Who knows? She appeared after Ice was handling the four of us, the All-Starz."

"My other question hasn't been answer yet…" Tyson raised his hand in the air, remembering something just now. "The kid has a bit beast right? What about the girl? What kind of bit beast do they have?"

"Ice and the girl both have bit beasts," Judy answered. "A monkey and a pig."

"Oh, that sounds interesting!" Tyson smiled brightly. Kai gave him a light glare and Tyson shrugged. "I mean, I know it's hard on you guys but I'm itching for new battles and opponents!" Tyson smiled, excitedly. "I will be the one who gets the bit beasts back! I promise!"

Michael smirked at him. "Yeah, right. Even if you do and try to get our bit beasts back, Trygle will come back to me without your help."

"But you're the one who lost Trygle," Tyson told him, smiling to himself. "How can you be so sure when a beyblader couldn't even protect his own bit beast?"

"What did you say?" Michael stood up, glaring at him. Steven was getting ready to pound on Tyson also.

Ray slightly pushed Tyson away. "Tyson, this isn't the time to get cocky and pick up fights with these guys," Ray said, glancing at the two angry guys.

"I wasn't going to pick a fight, Ray," Tyson shrugged. "I really do want to help them. Honestly!"

"Well, we don't want your help!" Steven glared. "How could you understand having your bit beast taken away when you can even protect yourself?"

Tyson gave him a serious look. He never wants to be part away from Dragoon, ever. Dragoon had always been with Tyson, since the day they met. He could never think of how it will feel like if Dragoon was ever gone. "But I mean it," Tyson said. "I will get it back. I will get every bit beasts out there that were stolen from other beybladers also! I promise."

"I will help out too," Max softly said, nodding. He doesn't want to hurt anybody, but he will get all of the bit beasts back for his friends. He looked at his mother. "Where's Eddy and Emily?" he asked, now that he notice that they weren't around.

Judy looked back at Max, silent. Then she looked at Ray, Kai, and Tyson. "May you three please excuse us?" she asked.

Kai turned to walk away and Ray followed. Tyson looked back and forth at the All-Starz and the other two who were walking away from the group. Tyson smiled at Max and said, "I will see you in a little bit, Max."

"Alright," Max smiled back as Tyson turned to follow Kai and Ray. Max looked at his mother, Steven, and Michael. "What is it, mom?"

Michael and Steven walked closer to the both of them. "How's Emily and Eddy?" Michael asked, looking very worry.

Judy looked up at the man behind her. "Please take me to their rooms," she smiled at him. The man, who seem to be in his early twenties, nodded and turned the wheel chair around. The nurse led the way as Max, Steven, and Michael walked behind them. They turned around the corner of the hall and stopped by the fourth door. "This is where Eddy will be resting for a while," Judy told the boys. "The doctors say only two people are allow to go in first."

Steven and Michael both hurried and open the door, finding a couple of doctors standing beside the bed where Eddy was laying. Max looked at his mother and asked, "Where's Emily then?" He will check on Eddy after Michael and Steven leave the room.

"She's just next door…" Judy told her son.

Max looked at the nurse with a smile, gesturing that he will push his mother in the wheel chair to see Emily. "May take my mother with me?" he asked the man.

The nurse nodded. "Of course," he said, taking a step back.

Judy smiled at Max as he pushed her to the other door next to Eddy's room. The door to Emily's room opened and a doctor stepped out. Max and Judy waited for the doctor and the doctor left the door open for them. After that, Max pushed the wheel chair into the room and there was Emily, lying on the bed.

Max and Judy looked at Emily's tire face. There were a few scratches on her face. Max slowly walked around his mother and stood beside Emily with a sad face. He force a smile, and softly said, "What's up, Emily?" She didn't answer. Emily probably was still unconscious. Max looked back at his mother. "Hey, mom… Will Emily and Eddy be all right?"

She nodded a little. "Yes… but they may not be able to leave the hospital so soon," Judy told him. "But please don't worry." She didn't want see Max worry too much about them. Judy believes in the two members of the All Starz will come around soon.

"Right…" Max nodded back and looked at Emily again. He hopes the both of his friends will recover soon. "Emily… I promise I will get your bit beast back. I will get everyone's back. So get a lot of rest until then." Max smiled warmly.

----

Half an hour later, Ray drove his friends back to the mansion. On their way there, Tyson and Max were talking about the All Starz members' condition in the back of the car while Kai was leaning against the car door. He was still feeling ill and he doesn't feel any better sitting in the car on the street. He felt like throwing up so bad. Kai covered his mouth, closing his eyes.

Ray noticed him and gave Kai a nervous smile. "Are you okay, Kai?" Ray asked.

Kai didn't answer. He didn't feel like talking. If he does… who knows what might come out. Kai looked out the window to avoid talking to anyone. The sun was still up in the sky. Kai looked at the people walking on the streets and sidewalks. Then he saw a familiar girl when Ray stopped at a red light.

The girl is with a guy, she was laying on the bench and her head on the guy's lap. It was Hotarubi. She seems to be asleep with a guy's jacket covering her upper body. The guy with her had red hair and green eyes. He was looking up at the sky, his hand over Hotarubi, as a sign of protecting her. Then the red hair guy looked around and notices Kai looking directly at him. The red hair guy looked like he knew Kai and gave Kai a sly smile.

"Kai?" Tyson called from the back seat.

Kai looked away from Hotarubi and the green eyed person. "Don't talk to me," Kai sounded irritated. His three friends stared at Kai in silence, wondering what was wrong with Kai. The light was now green and Ray drove down the street. Kai glanced back at where Hotarubi was again and she had her eyes open. Kai turned his head away when he saw her smiling tiredly at the red haired guy and he smiled back at her. It was a different kind of smile from when she smiles at his friends. Kai shook the thought of her and relaxed the rest of the way to the mansion.

**------**


	7. Living Together

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**­­­------**

**My Words, Your Words**

**_Story written by:_ the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 7 – Living Together**

"What do you mean Hotarubi left?" Tyson asked when Emily came down the stairs when the four guys entered the mansion. "Last time I check that she was burning hot. She shouldn't even able to walk!" Tyson said, worrying.

Emily nervously smiled at Tyson and then Kai. "I apologize, Master Hiwatari and Tyson. When I got upstairs to her room, she wasn't in there. The window was left open so…"

"She jumped out of the window?" Max asked, surprise that Hotarubi even survive if she was nowhere to be found in and outside of the mansion.

Ray closed the front door when they entered the mansion and he laughed. "No way. She must have climbed down a tree nearby and then walked off. Something like that?"

Kai walked pass Emily and up the stairs. "It doesn't matter… let Kita do what she wants. It doesn't concern me." Kai thought back to Hotarubi with the red haired person. He rubbed his head it felt heavier than before. "I'm skipping dinner tonight, I'm heading to my room." He told Emily.

"Yes, Master Hiwatari," Emily bowed. Then she turned to left to go back to her job.

Tyson sighed, "I wonder if I should go and look for Hotarubi."

"She will be fine on her own," Kai called from upstairs. Even though Hotarubi left without any word, she is still sick so Kai won't be yelling at her for leaving. "Max, make sure tell Kita that she can start working anytime she wants," Kai said. "You can arrange her hours when she decides to come."

"Alright," Max smile with a nod as Kai left to his bedroom.

Tyson thinks that he will go out and search for Hotarubi himself. Ray walked into the living room and Max walked behind Ray. Tyson then start to wonder about something and followed the two of them. "Hey, Ray. This Zodiac thing… Does that mean there are twelve members in the Zodiacs' Vessels?" Tyson inquired. "You know, since that Ice and the girl had bit beast, a pig and a monkey. Get what I'm getting at?"

Ray sat on the black sofa, nodding at Tyson. "It would seem so… The Zodiacs' Vessels must mean something close to the Chinese zodiac if there is a monkey and a pig. I'm not sure. We will just have to wait and see, because if it happens to be from the Chinese zodiac then there might be only twelve members who are over the world."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Max said. "Only twelve… I thought they might be a large group or something. Though, the smaller the group is, the harder we will find them."

"But…" Ray looked at Max, who also sat on the sofa. "Don't forget that they are also after us."

Tyson smiled, "So all we have to sit and just wait until they show up?"

"Yeah, most likely," Ray chuckled. But who knows when they will strike. A shock a feeling went through Ray when he thought of something. What if the Zodiacs' Vessels were already with them now? Ray looked at Tyson. "Tyson… when did Hotarubi first come here?" he asked, just to be sure.

The blue haired guy took a moment to reply. "Why are you asking about that?" Tyson inquired.

Ray didn't want to say what was on his mind, but said it anyways. "What if Hotarubi is from the Zodiacs' Vessels? I mean, there's a possibility."

"You think she's our enemy?" Tyson asked, his tone a little higher than usual. "Why do you think that? I have known her since we were small! In _Japan_!"

"Don't over react, Tyson," Ray smiled. "I'm not saying that Hotarubi is… I just ask when did she show up. That's all."

Tyson rubbed the back of his head. "She arrived here when I first came here also. Hotarubi was here because she was thinking about working as a maid in the mansion. But I don't know how why she doesn't seem to like Kai so much. Well, that has nothing to do with this... But does that sound like she is part of the enemy, huh? She just wants to work here."

Ray rubbed his chin, thinking deeply about it. Then he smiled, "Okay then. Maybe she's not?"

Max chuckled, hoping everything will be all right. "I say we should just keep our guard up anyway. Anything can happen at anytime."

"Right," Tyson and Ray both nodded.

But Tyson still believes that Hotarubi can't be any part of the Zodiacs' Vessels. There was absolutely no chance of her being a part of group that steals bit beasts. Something hit Tyson when he thought about Hotarubi. It was something that he couldn't believe even for a second. "Ray… what animals are in the Chinese zodiac?" Tyson questioned.

Ray looked at Tyson again. "Rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and the pig. Did you figure something out, Tyson?"

"Y-yeah…" Tyson rubbed the back of his head. He was now worried. "Hotarubi has a bit beast also, but she didn't use it when I battled with her. I notice the image of a snake on her beyblade before… and it was a snake." He looked at his two friends who were silent. The three of them didn't say anything for a moment. Tyson laughed, "Oh, come on! There might be a lot of bit beasts that look like snakes, right?"

Max looked at Ray and he looked back at Max. They didn't say anything. Max turned his head to Tyson. "Who knows?" Max shrugged. He also didn't want to believe that Hotarubi was one of the Zodiacs' Vessels. But what if she was? "Let's just say… we should just keep our guard up," Max said again.

"Let's do that," Ray nodded back and forth with his arms cross.

Tyson smiled and looked at Max and then Ray. "So, do you think the butler here, Emily, and Ling are also part of the Zodiacs' Vessels, huh?"

"There's no way," Ray quickly said without thinking about that they are.

Max shrugged with a sweat drop. "I really don't think so… they are all kind people, you know? It's really hard to believe if they are."

"But you may never know," Tyson rolled his eyes. "We have to keep our guard up, remember?" Tyson laughed a little, finding everything will heat up as time passes. He will be facing new opponents sooner or later; Tyson just can't wait until the time comes. "Ray, why don't _you_ think that Ling might be one of the Zodiacs' Vessels?"

Ray looked at Tyson who was grinning at him. "W-well…" Ray blinked. "She has a background. Unlike that kid, Ice."

Tyson nodded. "Uh-huh… anything else besides that?"

Ray didn't answer. He just sat there, looking at Tyson with his natural look. Max chuckled, "Why are you asking about that, Tyson?"

He shrugged. "It's just that Ray thought Hotarubi might be an enemy, so what about Ling? Well, Ray?"

"Tyson…" Ray sighed. "I really don't see it. Ling can't possibility be one of our enemies." Ever since Ray met Ling, he never felt that she would ever hurt anybody. That innocent face when he first saw her, the soft voice of her, and her gentle figure. Ray felt like he knew her from somewhere before, but he couldn't recall it. He stood up, not wanting to think about the Zodiacs' Vessels at the moment. "I'm going to go and unpack my things. Later, guys."

Max and Tyson both smiled at Ray as he ahead up the stairs. "Later," the both of them said.

"You know what?" Tyson smiled widely at his blond friend. "If the Zodiac thing really do come after us, that means we even won't have time to go to college then!"

"Don't count on it," Max chuckled.

----

The next day…

"What's up?" Michael smirked, standing right outside of the mansion. Steven and Judy were standing behind Michael with smiles on their faces.

Kai walked down the stairs, feeling all well again, but the sight of them made him pause on the middle of the stairway. Emily had opened the door for them and the three All Starz members walked in. "…What is the meaning of this?" Kai asked with a light glare.

It was eight in the morning so Tyson, Max, and Ray were still asleep or just somewhere else. Judy looked up at Kai who was still standing on the stairs and he seem quite shock to see some of the bags that they were carrying. "We're going to live here… temporarily, in your mansion," she explained.

"It's Daiki Swift's idea," Steven said. He didn't really like the idea of living with Kai and the others, but it was the closet place to the hospital. "But don't worry. It will be like we were never here."

"What?" Kai blinked. Daiki's idea? The least Daiki can do was tell Kai about it before it actually happens. He doesn't like being taken by surprise. "Why?" Kai didn't want anymore other people coming in and live with him like this.

Michael walked around, observing the mansion. He said, "One, if we live here we can always go check on Eddy and Emily. Two, its better if we stay together. Who knows if someone might come and attack when one of you guys are alone? And three… I wanted to see how it feels like living in a mansion." Michael hurried up the stairs pass Kai. "Don't mind if I just go and pick a room for myself," he snickered.

Kai walked down the stairs with a small smirk on his face. "If you wonder here alone, you might see a ghost wondering around above you."

Steven's eyes widen in surprise as Michael stopped walking on the second floor. Judy faked a cough, "We're going to stay here anyway. Thanks for your concern, Kai." Judy looked at Steven and then at Michael. "Come on, you two. Go pick your room and get some rest."

Michael turned around and looked at Kai as he walked out of the mansion. "You mean this place haunted?! Why the fuck did you choose to live here for?!" Michael walked back down the stairs. He wasn't scare. Maybe just a little bit, but he doesn't want to live here anymore. Michael was going to take a step outside, but Judy stood in his way.

"Where are you going, Michael?" Judy asked, slightly smiling. She could tell that he was afraid by the looks in his eyes.

"…" Michael sweat dropped. He just stood there, looking at her with nothing to say.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of ghosts," Steven laughed. "There's no such thing!"

Michael looked back at his friend. "There are such things as ghost, you moron. You just can't see them."

Steven smirked, walking up the stairs and carrying his bag with him. "I know. That's why I don't believe in them." He said. The butler, the one who has jet-black hair and dark blue eyes, walked down the stairs and notice Steven. The butler held out his hand to Steven and Steven gave him his bag so the butler can carry it. "Kai must feel really relax with someone doing his chores and all that shit," Steven looked back at Michael with a smirk.

"Too bad," Michael followed Steven up the stairs. "Now we're all here to torment him." The both of them laughed, as they went to pick their rooms. The butler followed them.

What happen about the mansion being haunted? They just shrugged it off. Judy sighed. Those two better not be causing trouble after what they have been through. _What should we do from here…?_ Judy asked herself. There was nothing really. All they had to worry about is themselves and the others.

"Would you like me to carry your bags?" Emily asked, walking up to her.

Judy looked at her and smiled. "Yes, that would be very kind of you." Emily nodded and smiles back. She grabbed Judy's bag and gestures towards the stairs. "I'm Judy Tate."

"Max Tate's mother?" Emily asked, surprised. Judy nodded as they both walked up the stairs. Emily smiled. "No wonder. Max have been smiling recently."

"Really?" Judy laughed a little.

Emily brushed her bangs away. "My name is Emily Shelley."

----

Kai walked down the streets, thinking about calling Daiki what was he thinking. He didn't want to call him at his mansion since there's no privacy anymore so he walked into a phone booth. "Wait…" Kai was going to pick up the phone. It only makes sense for everyone to stick together like Michael said, but Kai really just wanted to live alone. Maybe even for the rest of his lives. He walked out of the phone booth. "As soon as the problems are solved… then I can finally live alone."

He should have brought his car along. What was he thinking? Kai walked for a while, just to chill, away from the mansion where his annoying friends are and to think about their 'new' enemy. After a while, he found himself at the homeless shelter where Hotarubi lived. "Come to think of it…" Kai lightly glared. "Why hasn't she shown up at work yet?" He wondered if she was still sick.

Entering the entrance of the building, Kai looked around. There was a front desk ahead of him. There is a woman and a man who are behind it. Those two had brown hair and brown eyes and they were wearing uniforms. The man looked up with a smile. "May we help you with something?" he asked.

Kai walked up to the front desk, unsure what to say. He replied, "Kita… is she here?"

"Yes," the woman nodded. "Hotarubi Kita. She is up in her room right now. Actually, she had been there for a long time. She's been sick because of the rain yesterday."

"Is she alright?" Kai questioned, looking around again. A couple of kids were running around. It didn't really look like a homeless shelter to him. The walls were clean, the carpet is also clean, and everything else is clean.

The man smiled again, "Yes. Someone checked her temperature last night. She probably will be fine if she continues to stay in bed. …May I ask who you are?" The man and the woman should have asked that first. The first mistake on their first day of job, so maybe it's all right.

Kai turned his head back at them. "I'm Kai Hiwatari." The two of them looked surprised. "I came here to check on one of my maids. Kita just left the mansion yesterday without letting me know."

"So…" the woman tapped her chin. "Would you like to go and see her?"

He nodded. "Yes."

The brown hair woman looked at the man as he nodded. The man smiled, "Alright, Mister Hiwatari. If you head to your right through the reception room and the foyer, you'll see the stairs to the second floor. Hotarubi's room number is two."

Kai nodded at them and walked away. But then he looked back at them again. "Can I ask you something?" he asked.

"Sure," the woman nodded.

"What building is this supposed to be?" Kai looked around once more.

The man chuckled. "Well…" he started. "It's basically for the children who had lost their families. A homeless shelter, you might say. This place here, created by Daiki Swift, is open twenty-four hours a day. Though, there is a limit for people who live here. Minimums are ten to fifteen."

"We teach the teenagers about job seeking skills training," the woman explained. "And there are very few adults come by and wants to adopt a kid. A lot of things happens here as well."

_Daiki again?_ Kai didn't expect such a person could do so many things at the same time. Daiki must always be busy and moving around a lot. Kai didn't want to know the other details and walked off to the second floor. He walked down hallway pass the other rooms that were the other people's offices and he walked pass an elevator. Then he came across where the rooms were, all six in total. Kai passed room one and room two was easily founded down the hallway.

_What should I say when I open the door?_ Kai thought to himself. Should he ask what was she doing here? He already allowed her to live at his mansion. What was the reason for her to come back here again? Thinking about, it's also a good thing. He will tell her to pack up and move to the mansion as soon as she gets well enough not to lie back in bed. Kai reached for the doorknob and slowly opened the door.

Kai felt a cool breeze from the room when he opened it. There was Hotarubi, lying on the bed under the blanket. There wasn't much reaction when Kai notices the red hair guy sitting on the ground by the bed and his hand over Hotarubi. The window was slightly open to freshen up the room. Kai looked at the two of them as they were still asleep and they didn't open their eyes to see who opened the door. They both looked so peaceful they way they are.

Walking up to them, Kai leaned forward to reach for Hotarubi's forehead. She's a little warmer than he thought. She probably was starting to feel better. Maybe by tomorrow she will be able to get up. Kai looked for paper and a pen. He wrote something down and left it on the desk by a blue vase that had one yellow tulip in it. He hopes that the wind won't blow the letter away and used the vase, putting it on top of his note. Kai looked at the red hair guy's hand that was on Hotarubi's shoulder and their heads were close together.

Kai turned away and walked out of the room. He slowly closed the door, taking a last look at them and then closed it completely.

The red haired guy opened his eyes after a moment when Kai left. He stood up with a smirk and looked around the room. The note was on the desk and he picked it up. He read:

_Kita, when you feel well again pack up your things. You're going to live at the mansion, remember? You can stay as long as Tyson and the others are until they leave in four years._

_-Kai Hiwatari_

"Hm," the red hair guy smirked. "Well… this will make everythin' a lot more easy," he looked over to Hotarubi who was still sleeping soundly. He smiled and sat on the bed. "Get well soon… Hotarubi."

----

Tala ran through the dark forest as Bryan, Spencer, and Ian hurried behind him. They seem to be injury, but that didn't stop them from running away from something. It was something beyond their power. As much as they hate it, they had to run. There wasn't any other choice.

A young girl's laugh was in the air. The four of them can hear it. Her laugh was cheerful, but it also sounds like she was enjoying torturing something. Torturing the four of them.

"Run faster, Ian!" Bryan shouted behind him. Ian was short, but he was running as fast as he could. "Come on!" Bryan glared.

"I got it!!" Ian shouted back, quickly running out of breath. They have been running for a while now, but the thing that was following them was really fast. A horse's gallop was getting louder and louder. "Ah!" Ian tripped on a rock and fell on the ground. His three friends all stopped running and looked back at him. Ian glared at them. "Go on! RUN!!!" Ian shouted angrily.

Spencer ran back to him. "Yeah, sure. And leave you behind? Are you nuts?!" He helped Ian up to his feet.

Tala glared and took out his beyblade. "I hope you're ready for this, Wolborg…" Tala breathed back and forth, tired but he didn't want to show it. Now it wasn't the time to run anymore. It will catch up to them anyway. Wolborg was also worn out, but what else can they do?

Bryan snapped, "Tala! Behind you, damn it!"

Tala turned around as wood branches all came together and strikes towards him. Blood was splatter out into the dark sky.

**­­­------**


	8. Honesty

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**Another disclaimer:**** I mention something about another Anime, but it doesn't really have anything to do with the story. The Anime I only mention about in this chapter (more possibility) is Saiyuki, by Kazuya Minekura.**

**­­­------**

**My Words, Your Words**

_**Story written by:**_** the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 8 – Honesty**

Dawn came. Everyone was all walking around the mansion. Max was happy to see his mother who will be staying with him for a while. Tyson keeps thinking about when he should see Hotarubi, but Kai forbids him to. Ray was looking for Ling. He hadn't seen her for a while now. Judy and Steven were standing around in the living room, talking about Eddy and Emily. And as for Michael…

Michael was sitting outside in the backyard, looking down in his hands. He was holding his beyblade, which was in six pieces in total. He thought about Trygle. His bit beast was no longer with him. Michael glared and clutched his beyblade parts. He didn't have the time to repair his beyblade, which made him even madder. "Ice…" he hissed the little boy's name. Michael felt so bad. He failed his teammates and two kids stole their bit beasts. He felt even more shameful. He was the team captain and yet he couldn't protect anyone.

Suddenly a golden fur dog ran from out of nowhere and knocked pieces of Michael's beyblade out of his hand. It was a Golden Retriever and it looked back at Michael from yards away when it realize it bumped to someone. The dog's age seem to be at an average age.

"What the hell?" Michael stood up. "What's a dog doing here?!" he went and pick up the pieces. When he hurried to pick one up, another hand grabbed one of the pieces. Michael looked who's hand was. It was Ling and she smile shyly at him. She handed him the piece. He stared at her for a moment. "Are you related to Ray?" he asked. _Those eyes are like his._ Michael said in his head.

Ling blinked. "No, we're not. But I am Chinese, like Ray."

Michael took his beyblade piece and smiled at her. "Thanks," he turned around to look for his the other five pieces. He went and grabbed every one of them and looked back at Ling. "Oh," he just realized something. "Do you live here?"

She nodded. "Um… my name is Ling Tao."

He smirked, "The name's Michael. Michael Parker. Good to know you. I will also be living here as well."

"Do you… um…" she quietly said. Michael walked closer to her so he could hear her. "Do you like those kinds of stuff? The beyblade… thing."

"Course, I do," Michael smiled. But he sighed. "As much I want to beybattle… I can't. I haven't fix my beyblade yet." He looked at her, wondering if she also beyblade. Judging by her appearance, it seems impossible for a girl like her to even own a beyblade. He was going to ask her anyway, but she walked away towards the dog. "Is that your pet?" Michael questioned.

Ling looked at him. She shook her head 'no' and continues to walk to the dog on the grass lawn. The dog hurried away. "Wait!" she went after it. Ling took a couple of steps and then something in the ground opened downward like a door and she stopped herself near it. "Ah…" her eyes widen when she couldn't keep her balance and she was falling into the dark pit.

"Ling!" Michael reached out and grabbed her hand. It was already too late to pull her up from it and he fell along with her. Then the door closed.

----

"Max, do you know where Hotarubi lives?" Tyson asked. He didn't care what Kai said about not visiting her; Tyson can do whatever he wants. He is 18 years old after all. But then he realized that he had no clue where Hotarubi lived so that's why he is asking Max.

Max and Tyson were walking in the hallway between the dining room and the kitchen. "Nope, sorry," Max nervously smiled as they both entered the kitchen. Emily was in there, cooking dinner. "I never really got the chance to ask her, but she's going to live here anyway. Just wait for her to come back."

Tyson sighed heavily. "I really want to see if she is okay or not," he looked at Emily who looked back at him. "What is it, Emily?" Tyson gave her a blank face when she was giving a weird look.

Emily laughed nervously, embarrass that he notice her staring at him. "Well, um… It's strange just how you care for someone so much when you just met them for a couple of days. Something like that."

"Well, I known Hotarubi since we were kids and we're all living here after all," Tyson said, shrugging. "I will care for anyone who isn't so much like Kai. Since we are all living together now, we better get along and share the times together in this mansion of Kai's before we get even older. I think it's wonderful if we care for each other." Tyson smiled widely, nodding.

She smiled at him. "That's a nice thought." Emily looked away when the doorbell ringed. "I'll get that," she told them, putting the vegetables and the knife down.

Tyson hurried before she even took a step. "No, I'll get it! Focus on making us dinner! I'm hungry!" he said, laughing.

Max chuckled. "I will go and check as well." He followed Tyson.

"All right," Emily smiled as she watched them running out of the kitchen and then going back to her work.

Tyson reached the front door and opened it. He smiled happily when saw that it was Hotarubi and she was holding a small violet suitcase. "Hey! Hotarubi!" he hugged her. "You're finally here!" he grabbed her arms and pushed her away. "Are you feeling okay? Do you still have a fever?" he felt her forehead and it was pretty warm.

Hotarubi looked at him, silent. She started to giggle. "Why are you so work up about, Tyson?" she asked, little tears in her eyes. "You sound like my older brother! Hehehe…" She looked at Max and smiled, "Hey, Max."

Max smiled back. "Good to have you here with us… for the next four years."

_Older brother…?_ Tyson paused. "Oh! You mean Kou? Come to think of it, where is he? Where are your other siblings?"

She stopped laughing and looked at Tyson again. Hotarubi looked down at the ground, feeling uncomfortable. "Well, they… um," she mumbled.

Kai walked by when he heard Hotarubi was here. He was standing from a distance where the three of them were. He thought something about the homeless shelter. _A place where children who lost their families…_ he remembered.

Tyson touched her face and looked at her eyes. "Your eyes are red…" he said. "Have you been crying?"

Hotarubi nervously laughed. "No, of course not! Well, maybe because my fever hurts so much earlier and it's not like I woken up from the saddest dream ever and started to cry!"

Max and Tyson both sweat dropped. She just gave away the answer. "What kind of dream was it?" Max asked, curious to know about it. He never woke up crying before so he didn't know how it was like. He has sad dreams sometimes, but not enough for him to have tears in his eyes.

She stood there, realizing what she just said. "I don't want to talk about it." Hotarubi said. She was not in the mood. She looked around, searching for someone, with a light glare. "Anyway, I got Kai's note where he left at my home and here I am."

"What? Kai went to check on you without me?" Tyson glared. "Kai!" he shouted for him, turning his head around if Kai was around or not. Tyson saw Kai was standing way over at the other side of the room and glared at him. "You told me to stay put, but you go and visit Hotarubi by yourself?!"

Kai didn't answer. He turned around and walked away from their sights. "Kai," Hotarubi's voice stopped him from walking into another hallway. Kai glanced at her. She wasn't smiling nor glaring at him. "When you came by… did you see anyone?" Hotarubi asked.

He looked at her pale green eyes and she was looking at his eyes also. There was a sudden weird feeling between them once again. Hotarubi looked away with a little blush on her face. Kai turned his head away and quickly replied, "Yeah. Who is he?" He crossed his arms. "Your boyfriend?" he randomly asked.

"You have a boyfriend?" Tyson and Max looked at Hotarubi, surprised.

Hotarubi blushed, taking a step back. _Damn… So Kai saw him… oh man…_ She sweat dropped. "…Y-Yeah," she nodded nervously. She wasn't use to calling someone her boyfriend yet. It made her feel really awkward.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tyson smirked, closing the front door as he pulled her into the mansion.

"It's nothing to bring up about," she told him, still blushing. "I mean, you and I just met and I don't want to tell you for the first time in the longest time that I have a boyfriend, now do I?" It would have ruined their special reunion or whatever. What is Tyson thinking?

Tyson pouted at her. "I guess… but still," he smiled. "It would have made me happy to hear that you even have a boyfriend! I mean, when we were kids you were such a tomboy! You even try to pick up fights with some other boys at your age, but of course, you weren't strong or anything." Tyson chuckled, remembering the old, fun times.

Hotarubi blushed, pushing Tyson. "S-Shut up! Don't mention what happen in the past in front of other people! Arg, this is what I get every time I'm honest!" she told him. Then she noticed Ray, who happened to just enter the room, and she blushed more. She started to hit Tyson back and forth, even more embarrass. "Damn you, Tyson!" she kicked him as well.

"Will you stop that?" Tyson half covered himself since she wasn't trying to hit so hard. "I'm just letting people know who you were like when you were just a kid."

Ray smiled at Hotarubi and Tyson as they continued talking back at each other. Kai had already left, heading for his room upstairs. "Hey, Max," Ray looked at him. "Have you seen Ling around?"

"Come to think of it…" Max looked back at Ray. "Nope. Not for a while now. I had other things that I was focusing on. Why?"

"Nothing really," Ray rubbed the back of his head with a nervous smile. Judy and Steven walked pass Ray. "Where are you two going?" he asked.

Steven walked around Hotarubi and Tyson as they were still arguing. "We're heading out to see that man, Daiki Swift," Steven told him, opening the door as Judy followed him.

Max walked up to his mother. "Why are you guys going there for?" he asked, worried.

Judy smiled at her son and patted on his shoulder. "We want to find out more information on the Zodiacs' Vessels. We will find something to eat out there since I'm sure we won't be coming back until it's late. So go ahead and eat without us, okay?" Max took a moment and then nodded. Judy smiled again and waved as she walked out and Steven was waiting outside. "We're off then," she said, closing the door.

"…" Max smiled to himself, staring at the door where her mother and Steven left. He hope they will be all right to be coming back late at night. There shouldn't be any more trouble since they had already been targeted. Max was angry at that thought. He turned around and left to the living room, turning on the big screen TV.

Ray looked over at Tyson and Hotarubi. The both of them were still arguing while she kept hitting him. Ray chuckled nervously. "Ah, Tyson… why don't you help Hotarubi unpack her things in her room?" Ray suggested.

Hotarubi quickly headed for the stairs with an angry face. "You don't have to, Tyson!" she told him. She was too frustrated to even look at Tyson. Hotarubi doesn't like it when someone talks about her past. It's so embarrassing! Tyson needs to learn how she feels when he does. _He should be happy that I don't talk about him._ Hotarubi pouted.

"Go on, Tyson," Ray pushed Tyson towards the stairs with a smirk. "You two are childhood friends, right? Now that she's working here, help her out."

Tyson lazily looked up at Hotarubi. "Fine, whatever…" he ran up the stairs and grabbed her small violet suitcase. He smiled at her, but she didn't look at him. "Geez, I'm sorry. Okay?" Tyson chuckled, patting on her head.

Hotarubi slightly blushed with the same angry look. _This feels familiar…_ she glanced at Tyson with twitching eyes. Tyson was still smiling at her. Then she slowly smiled back. _Oh yeah… he always does that after we argue._ How nostalgia. The both of them walked down the hallway and Tyson opened her bedroom door for her. "Thanks," Hotarubi smiled again as she walked in.

"Hey…" Tyson walked in also, leaving the door open. "What is your boyfriend's name?"

She went and opened her window. "Why do you ask?" she asked, turning around and leaning against the window. Hotarubi wouldn't want to talk about her boyfriend too much, it will just make her blush and Tyson might even smile that one wide weird smile at her again.

Tyson put her suitcase on the bed. "Just curious," he replied with a half grin.

Hotarubi smiled with a blush. "His name is Alexander. I call him Alex though."

"Alex…?" Tyson blinked his eyes. He remembered hearing that name from somewhere. He shrugged it off and asked another question. "When did you meet him?" his grin got wider.

"I don't feel like telling you," she said. "If I told you, you'll just laugh."

He chuckled. "No I won't. It would be great if you told me. I'm so curious how a guy would come to like someone like you!" Hotarubi is quite attractive, Tyson will give her that much. Something must have happen between her and her boyfriend since Tyson find her a very hard person to even understand what she was thinking about. Hotarubi can be very easily get upset about the littlest things ever.

"What does that mean?!" she glared at him. Hotarubi grabbed the white pillow and started hitting him with it. "You think there's no guy out there who is interested in me? Well! I don't see any girls coming to you either! And look at me! I have a boyfriend who happens to care a lot about me, more than anyone else could have!!"

Tyson sweat dropped, nervously running around the room to get away from her. "I'm sorry, Hotarubi! Geez, will you stop it? You still haven't change much from last time."

Hotarubi threw the pillow at his back, tired of chasing after him. "You too," she said. Tyson looked at her. She glared at him with her pale green eyes that have seemed to darken. "You haven't change at all… Tyson."

He walked to her. "H-Hey… I never seen that kind of look before…" Tyson said. Her eyes were mysteriously telling him something, but he didn't know what it was. "Hotarubi?"

She closed her eyes and went over to her bed, opening her suitcase. She didn't want to say anything to him at the moment. Hotarubi looked at Tyson, waiting for him to get out. She was going to unpack her clothes. Tyson rubbed the back of his head, nervously and left the room. He closed the door also. Hotarubi sighed and sat on the bed.

When Tyson closed the door, Kai was standing right beside him. "Oh, Kai," Tyson was surprise to see him there. "What are you doing here?" Kai didn't answer and walked away. Tyson then smirked and followed him. "Oh! I know! You like Hotarubi, don't you? That's why you were standing there, listening!"

"Shut up, Tyson," Kai stop walking and glared at him. "Don't go and making things up. I just happen to walk by and stop near the room."

Tyson smiled. "Sure, sure… but what's your excuse standing back there then? How long have you been listening?"

Kai continued to walk again. "I was going to talk to her about the rules here, but she is busy unpacking her stuff now. I'll let Max know to tell her everything around here."

"Okay, but you can still talk to her about it," Tyson was still smiling. The both of them walked down the stairs. "How long were you standing there though?"

"Mind your own business, Tyson!" Kai told him, walking faster.

Tyson followed him and they entered the living room. "Come on, Kai! You have nowhere to hide or run. Just tell me!" Ray and Max were watching the TV and sitting on the big sofa, enough to hold ten to twelve people, but turned their heads at Tyson and Kai.

"And why are you so interested to know, huh?" Kai sharply turned to Tyson with a light glare.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Can't you at least say you like her, as a friend? It's not that hard. I like her. See? It wasn't that hard." Tyson smiled as Kai walked away again. Tyson's smile faded and he said, "I just don't want you to hate her… that's all. She's my friend. Can't you two get along?"

How annoying. Kai turned to look at Tyson again. "If I hated her, I wouldn't allow her to work here," Kai told him. "Also, she's the one who doesn't want to get along with me. Why should I care?"

"So it's Hotarubi who's needs to stop the hating around here…" Tyson nodded back and forth at the thought. "That means you like her, right?" Tyson looked at Kai who glared at him again. Tyson laughed. So did Ray and Max. "Oh, I know what can make you like her a little better… as a friend." Tyson said, grinning.

"Not interested," Kai said with his eyes closed.

Ray smiled, "I would like to know."

Max nodded, "Yeah."

Tyson was silent for a while, waiting until the mood was right. Ray and Max were just sitting there, staring at Tyson until he said something. Kai crossed his arms and turned to leave when Tyson didn't say anything yet. "She's a very honest person," Tyson finally said. "Just ask her questions and she will answer them honestly. She never lies. Well, maybe if it's too embarrassing or something. And Kai, since she's working her… if Hotarubi happens to break something, she will tell you that she did it. Hotarubi can always be counted to be honest."

"…" Kai didn't say anything.

Ray stood up with a light chuckle. "Then… do you think if I can ask her if she knows anything about the Zodiacs' Vessels, Tyson?"

"You're still onto that?" Tyson lightly glared at Ray. There was no way that she was any part of the Zodiacs' Vessels. There is just no way. "Why do you think so, Ray?"

"I thought about the same thing too," Kai said. His three friends looked at Kai, but his back was facing them as he stood there. Kai looked in the kitchen to make sure only the four of them were by themselves and he turned to look around in case. He looked at his friends and lowers his voice. "I didn't buy this haunted mansion and hired people for nothing. I heard a story about a family died here a long time ago. I knew if I brought this mansion, no one would want to work here, expect for a certain group who would..."

"I get it now," Max snapped his fingers with a smile when he realized what Kai was trying to do from the very beginning and why. "You wanted to lure the members of the Zodiacs' Vessels here, right? Only they would want to work here, knowing that it's haunted. And the other people in this city wouldn't dare to because they also know about this mansion's story too."

Kai nodded, "But we'll talk about this later. It's not safe here. I made a appointment with Daiki Swift last night so we can go see him tomorrow at noon."

Ray rubbed his chin. "Then does that mean all of the three workers here are all…? Never mind. We will talk about this later after all." He laughed.

Tyson refused to believe Hotarubi and the other workers here were part of the Zodiacs' Vessels. After a second he remembered something. "Oh, I want to introduce Hotarubi to Michael and the others. I'm gonna have to find them. Wait, Judy and Steve went out so I guess they will have to wait. Okay, I'm going to find Michael then." Tyson smiled, forgetting about the Zodiac stuff. He hurried off out of the living room.

Kai looked at the TV and sweat dropped. "What are you guys watching there?" he asked. On the TV screen there were four guys fighting with people who had gray skins with elf-like ears, but not all of them had gray skin.

Max and Ray chuckled at the same time. "An Anime that is called Saiyuki," Ray told Kai.

"We were comparing the four main characters in this Anime with the four of us," Max chuckled again. "It's not really close to our personalities, but we were just doing this for fun. See this brown hair short guy who have the gold eyes? His name is Son Goku. That can be Tyson. And that tall guy with the brown hair and green eyes is Cho Hakkai, that's me. Ray is this guy here who has the red hair and red eyes, his name is Sha Gojyo. And Kai, you're this monk with the blond hair who has violet eyes. His name is Genjo Sanzo."

"…Nonsense," Kai said. What were those two thinking? Were they supposed to be pretending that they were that character and then image themselves in the Anime? Kai shook his head away from the ridiculous thought.

"Wait a minute," Ray looked at Max who was still sitting on the sofa. "I'm Hakkai."

Max shook his head. "If you're Hakkai, then I'm this ladies' man Gojyo guy? Believe it or not, but Gojyo is this big brother type of person as well and that matches with you better."

"Hakkai is a gentle and a caring man," Ray countered. "That matches me."

"You think that I'm not a gentle and a caring man?" Max questioned. Max didn't want to be Gojyo since their personalities didn't match at all.

Ray and Max looked at each other and then laughed, not wanting to get into a fight over the silliest things. Ray smiled and looked at Kai. "Do you want to know why Tyson is Goku?" Ray asked, looking at Kai.

Kai's face was expressionless. "Uh…"

"It's because they both like eating a lot," Max said, chuckled. "Do you want to know why we chose you to be Sanzo, Kai?"

"No, I don't," he shot Max a light glare. Kai walked around the long table in the living room and reached for the remote control, turning the TV off. Max and Ray both didn't say anything about wanting to continue watching it. The three of them heard footsteps from the stairs out of the living room. Tyson and Hotarubi's voice were heard.

"Why didn't you tell me that the All Starz were also living here?" Hotarubi shouted, but you can tell by her voice that she was excited.

"Hey, they were right in front of you just a while ago," Tyson said. The both of them walked into the living room. "You're blind or something?" he teased.

Hotarubi pouted at Tyson. She looked at Ray and Max who looked back at her with a smile. Kai was facing the other way, his back towards her and his arms were crossed. "Trying to look cool again, Hiwatari?" she asked with an irritated look.

Kai didn't want to say anything to her. If they both try to have a conversation, they would just argue. She wasn't worth talking to anyway. Only when it comes to work, he'll start saying something and ordering her around.

"Can I ask you something, Hotarubi?" Ray asked, giving her a serious look.

Tyson knew what Ray wanted to asked and said something before Hotarubi can reply. He quickly stood in front of her and said, "No, Ray! There's nothing to ask about and nothing that she needs to answer either."

"Yes, go ahead," Hotarubi pushed Tyson out of the way.

"Hotarubi!" Tyson grabbed her hand. If it was true, he didn't know what he would do. Will he have to fight her? Even if she lied that she wasn't a part of the Zodiacs' Vessels, will he really have to fight against her someday? He didn't want to know the truth just yet. They both had just begun living together and they had so many things to do and talk about. Tyson squeezed her hand and then dragged her away.

She pulled back, breaking free from him. "What are you doing, Tyson?" she asked with a glare. Hotarubi wanted to talk to Ray, even just a little while. She hadn't talk to him properly yet and she wanted this chance with him.

"Just follow me," Tyson said, reaching for her hand.

"Do you know anything about the Zodiacs' Vessels?" Ray quickly asked before Tyson could leave the mansion. Not that it really matter because Ray will eventually ask anyway and it wouldn't hurt to ask now.

Her eyes widen with shock. Tyson glared at his Chinese friend, "Ray!"

"You guys came in contact with them?" Hotarubi took a step forward to Ray.

Ray looked at Hotarubi who seemed to be worried and surprised. "The All Starz were attacked not too long ago," Ray explained. "You look like you heard of the Zodiacs' Vessels."

She stood silent before nodding. "Yeah, I know them. I even seen a few of them actually."

Tyson set his hand on her shoulder and pulled her back. "Hotarubi, what do you mean?" Tyson asked, confused.

Max stood up from the sofa and Kai glanced back at her. "One of them came after me once," Hotarubi said. "I think her name was… Lin Yi or Yi Lin… I don't remember since that was six years ago. She had the Rabbit for her bit beast."

"Why was that person after you?" Max asked.

She sighed. Hotarubi was going to say something but then she started rubbing her head as if it was hurting. She was touching her forehead, just above her right eye. "Ow…" she groaned.

"Hotarubi?" Tyson took a step to stand in front of her. "What's wrong…? Tyson stared at her forehead where her hand was on. Blood. There was little blood and a drop was slowly dripping down her face. Tyson freaked out and looked at his friends. "Blood! Blood! Bandage! Bandage! Somebody!!" he shouted.

Ray and Max saw the blood that was just suddenly come out of nowhere. How did she hurt herself? There wasn't the time to wonder, Ray and Max hurried to the kitchen. They looked through the cabinets at all of the three walls of the kitchen. "Kai, don't you have bandages?" Ray asked while he was still opening the cabinets back and forth. Some of the cabinets were completely empty.

Kai remained calm and said, "Yeah, I do. But Ms. Shelley is in charge of those kinds of stuff so I wouldn't know where it is exactly."

"Maybe it's in the hallway…" Max walked out of the big kitchen and down the other hall away from the others. Ray followed him.

Tyson took Hotarubi around the sofa and made her sit down. It's been a minute and Tyson couldn't wait until Max and Ray came back with bandages. He had to do something about the blood, even though it was just a small amount of it. "Wait here while I get a wet towel… or something like that," Tyson nervously laughed. He didn't really know how to treat the wound, but getting the blood off of her face wasn't such a bad idea.

Hotarubi nodded as Tyson hurried out of the room. She looked at her hand that was over her cut on her forehead and stared at the blood. She rubbed her thumb over her fingers, feeling the red liquid. Kai stood where he was, silent. Hotarubi didn't look up at him and he didn't look at her. The two of them were just silent and they didn't move anywhere and just waited until the other guys come back.

----

"I think I remember seeing a bunch of towels here…" Tyson walked towards a closet when he entered a small room. There were closets on one wall of the room. He came here once when he first arrived to live in the mansion. It was quite dark but the faint light from the hallway helped a bit. Tyson opened one of the closets and took a step to take a closer look since it was too dark to see if there were towels there or not. When he took a step, there wasn't a floor there. But it was already too late for Tyson from taking a step and he fell in. "Ah!" he rolled down and came to a stop, hitting against the brick wall with his left cheek. "Ouch…"

"Yo, Tyson."

Tyson blinked and looked at Ray and Max. They both of them were smiling nervously at Tyson. "Huh?" Tyson got himself standing up and walking to his friends. "How did you guys end up here?" Tyson asked.

Ray chuckled. "Well… Max and I were just wondering around and sort fell through… a trap door, I would assume."

"Yeah," Max nodded. "This mansion has a few trap doors, but if you fall into one of them… you won't be able to get out so easily."

"WHAT?!!" Tyson's mouth opened widely, full of shock.

Max nodded again with a smile. "That's right. I know about it because Kai told me. He knew there were trap doors and told me to be careful. I guess he didn't have the time to tell you guys about it." Though, Max forgotten where the trap doors were and happen to fall into one with Ray. He should have memorized where the trap doors were located and he regret that he didn't.

Tyson looked around. Up on the ceiling were dim round looking light bulbs. Then he notices a hole on a wall where he must have fell down from. And there was another one to his left. "Hey!" Tyson ran to the hole. "Kai! Can you hear me?!" Maybe there was a chance if Kai heard him so they can get out of the room they were in.

"That won't work, Tyson," Ray said, crossing his arms. "I called out just a minute ago but no one answered. These rooms must be sound proof."

"Then how do you expect us to leave here… alive?" Tyson asked him. He could go insane if he didn't get out now! Tyson walked around, pacing around the room. "We'll starve! We'll die before we even know it! Ah! Ahhh! Ahhhhhhhhh!!"

Max rubbed the back of his head, sighing. "I'm sure there's a way out, Tyson…" Max assured. "So just calm down."

"We didn't even have dinner yet either!" Tyson whined. He can feel that his stomach was already moaning for food.

Ray walked around to observe the walls while Tyson was still calling out for somebody for help. He rubbed his chin, thinking to himself. _There should be a way out…_ Ray thought. But the room was empty. The only things in there were the lights above them. There was nothing else. Ray was determined that there should be a way out of here. He was just standing there, looking at the walls and stay quiet.

"KAI!" Tyson shouted on the top of his lungs. "If you can hear me, but you're not bothering to reply… that means you like Hotarubi!!!" Tyson waited and then smirked. "Oh! So you do like her?!"

Max sighed, half smiling, "I don't think Kai is going to hear that anyway, Tyson." Shouting for help won't help them. Tyson is going to have to think of another way to get of the room that they are in.

**­­­------**

**Note from "**the sounds of the bells**":** Opps, I hope this chapter wasn't too long.


	9. The Chicken Soup

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**­­­------**

**My Words, Your Words**

**_Story written by:_ the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 9 – The Chicken Soup**

"I only cry when I can't protect anyone…" Hotarubi suddenly said.

Kai finally looked at her, confused. "Huh?"

She let out a chuckle, looking at the blood on her finger. "Before I came down here, Tyson told me something…" she took a deep breath and looked at Kai. "Tyson didn't want me to keep glaring at you or whatever he was trying to say to me. He was telling me to get along with every each of his friends. That included you."

_Damn that Tyson…_ Kai glared, turning his head away from her. _He doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut._ Kai looked back at Hotarubi with one of his eyes raised. "So what?"

Hotarubi pouted. _It's pointless… I don't like him a bit!_ She thought, slapping her forehead once in frustration. "Ow!" she slapped where her wound was. She totally forgot that it was still there.

Kai walked out of the living room and headed in the kitchen. After a minute, he came back with a wet clean white towel. "I should have told Tyson where to find a towel before he wondered off somewhere and never comes back…" Kai said, walking to where Hotarubi was sitting and stood in front of her. "Hold still… your blood will dry soon if no one cleans it of."

She flinched when the wet towel touched her wound. "Can you be more gentle, Hiwatari-chan?" she pushed his hand away from her forehead. She covered her wound, not wanting him to wash the blood off of her face.

"You do it yourself then," he threw her the towel with a light glare. "When you're done, throw it away."

"Throw it away?" Hotarubi caught the towel. "What a waste! I know it's white and the bloodstain might take forever to get it off, but what a waste! I'll clean it after I'm done then."

Kai looked over to the kitchen. The dinner was in the pots and the power on the stove was off. Some of the foods were lay out on the counters also. "Where's Ms. Shelley?" he wondered. Hotarubi didn't say anything. Maybe Emily had gone off to water the garden. Kai remembered that he just told her about it today. He looked at Hotarubi again who was taking her time to wipe the blood off. "So… what about crying that you mention about earlier?" Kai asked, interested. "Why did you start off with that sentence?"

Hotarubi didn't say anything for a moment. "Well…" she started, slowing wiping the blood away with the towel. "If you ever happen to cry when you can't protect anyone… I might start not hating you and stuff…" She didn't look at Kai, a bit shy talking about such things. "If you do cry, I don't know if I would start caring or not. It depends. When I see tears… I can't help but feel helpless because I'm not good at using words to help the person to feel better."

She quickly stood up and walked away. "Where are you going?" Kai asked, watching her.

"I need a mirror," she replied. Hotarubi need to see how much blood was off and she need to clean wash out some blood out of the towel. "The cut must be only about an inch on my forehead, so it's nothing serious. I can take care of it myself."

He didn't say anything when she left the room and he heard her faint voice, complaining that the wound hurt like hell, even for a small one. He looked out the window and it was getting dark. The dark clouds were forming also; maybe it was going to rain again. _Tears…_ he thought. It's not like he doesn't wanted to get along with her. It's just who he is, so it wasn't Hotarubi's fault if they can't get along. That is who is she. They just don't get along. Period.

"Master Hiwatari…" a deep voice behind him called his name.

Kai turned and looked at the jet-black haired butler. "What is it, James Howe?" Kai asked.

The butler looked at Kai with his dark blue eyes. "I was walking around and I heard the voices of your friends and then I heard them falling somewhere. Now they were nowhere to be found," James informed.

Kai smirked, "Oh? They must have fallen into those trap doors then. Let them be. It's not that hard to get around in the dark areas of the mansion. Consider that this is their punishment for inviting strangers without my permission." Kai turned around headed out of the room to the stairs. "I have other business to worry about more."

James watched Kai as he left. "Yes, Master Hiwatari…" he slightly bowed. When Kai was out of ear range, James sighed, a bit depress that this person he was working for was 'evil'. But then again, Kai had a point also. "Maybe I should sneak off and lead his friends out of there without Hiwatari knowing," James nodded to himself. Kai had given a map of the whole mansion to him, even for the trap doors. James walked off, wondering which trap door he should go through first.

----

Tyson leaned against the wall, exhausted. They must have been in there for hours or it felt like it. "Man, I'm getting HUNGRY!" Tyson shouted, placing his hand on his stomach. "How are we ever going to get out of this place?"

"I'm sure we will find a way, Tyson," Max slightly smiled. "Well, I hope." He wasn't so sure himself but it does look like they were going to be trapped there forever.

Ray started to push every brick on the walls. _Maybe it's like in the movies…_ he thought. Max and Tyson were still talking while Ray was busy with the bricks. It took a while, but when he pushed one of the brick it moved back a little. "Here we go," Ray smiled to himself and pushed harder. Then there was a sound of rocks collapsing.

"Whoa!" Tyson fell backwards when the wall behind that he was leaning against just started to fall apart. Then he fell into the water. _What the hell?_ Tyson swam his way back up to the surface. He popped his head out of the water and gasped. "What was that?!" he shouted. He thought he might have fell into the sewers or something, but there wasn't any other kind of bad scent in the water so he assumes it that it's clean.

"Tyson! Are you okay?" Max called to him.

Tyson looked around his surrounds. More dim lights and darkness. "I think I am!" Tyson voice echoed. He looked up where Ray and Max were. They were about five feet above him.

Ray and Max carefully walked down on the bricks that were from the collapsed wall, walking on them as if it was like stairs. "Well, at least we're out of that room," Ray chuckled, helping Tyson getting out of the water. "You shouldn't have been near that wall, man."

"Eh…" Tyson grumbled, taking his cap and squeezing it from the water. Quite surprising that it didn't fall when he sunk in the water. "I'm soaking wet." Then he just remembered something. "Wet? Oh, shit. I wonder how Hotarubi is doing? I hope she doesn't get into an argument with Kai again…"

"I'm sure Kai won't be doing anything like that," Max said as he walked around to observe the dark place. He saw that there are two hallways. "Where to now?" he looked back at Ray and Tyson.

"Well, this is a big mansion after all," Tyson smiled. "Let's just start walking around. It'll get us somewhere."

Ray walked to the hallway to his left. "This way, then," he told his two friends.

"My instants tells me to go right," Tyson pointed to the other hallway. "And it's always right."

Max nervously laughed when the two of them were quiet. "Rock, paper, scissor?" he suggested.

"Fine," the two of them smiled at each other, not wanting to get into a fight. Ray and Tyson stood in front of each other and waited. They counted to three and their hands either formed rock, paper, scissor. Tyson's rock and Ray's paper.

"I win, let's go then," Ray smiled. He turned away to lead them.

Tyson grabbed his shoulders, "Hold on a second. There are three rounds, Ray."

"…What?" Ray and Max sweat dropped at Tyson.

He smiles widely at them. "There are three rounds."

Ray sighed, "Fine." Ray won again.

Max laughed, "Come on, Tyson. Let's just go." He patted on his shoulder.

Tyson pouted. "Arg…. Okay, alright!" The three of them walked into the hallway to their left. They walked and walked. The hallway curved to the left and right. Then it happened again. Finally they entered to another room. Ray and Max both sweat dropped when they recognize the bricks and the water. They had walked back where they left again. "See!" Tyson looked at Ray with tired eyes. "We're back here again! We should have gone to the right!"

"I don't think that would make a difference," Max nervously smiled. Going to the right or left, they will just end up getting to the exact same place again. Max didn't want to start over and walked around again.

Ray looked around if there were any other ways to get around. There wasn't anything else besides the two hallways that were connected together. He turned around back to the hallway. "I'm going to check something," he said. "Why don't you two check if pushing the bricks will do anything like last time?"

"Got it," Max nodded as Ray walked off. Max looked at Tyson who was sitting on the ground and his stomach was growling. Max chuckled, "The sooner we look and find the way out, the sooner you'll get to eat."

"I know," Tyson nodded with a depress sigh.

----

Kai found a note on the large table in the kitchen from Emily. She had to hurry back home because she got a call that her child was sick. Emily also wrote: "I'm sorry, Master Hiwatari, for leaving without letting you know. Please have Hotarubi serve the dinner tonight." Kai sighed. He was going to have to talk to her again.

The back door slammed open and Hotarubi walked inside, her clothes were wet from the rain. "Ah man! Why is it raining again?" she breathed heavily, closing the door. There was a bandage over her cut on her forehead.

"What were you doing outside at this hour?" Kai asked. He can see her from the kitchen and was surprised that he didn't hear her walk outside in the rain. Hotarubi didn't say anything. Kai notice that she was holding something in her hand. It was a light blue, something round that was enough to fit in her hand. Kai didn't want to ask what it was since she quickly slipped it into her pocket.

"None of your business," she replied in a low voice. She didn't want to walk into the kitchen where he was so she took another path to head up to her room. "I'm skipping dinner tonight…" she said.

Before she left, he notices that Hotarubi's face was getting red. _She must still not feel well yet…_ he placed the note from Emily on the table. Kai looked at the clock near the doorway to the living room. It was only pass eight. _Ms. Shelley isn't here and Howe isn't anywhere to be found…_ Kai walked around the big table and opened the refrigerator. _Tyson and the others aren't here as well. I guess it's up to me to make it._ He sighed. He looked and grabbed a bag of pieces of chicken meat and closed the refrigerator. "…How do you make chicken soup?" Kai wondered.

----

"Ray, Max!" Tyson called for his friends. "I found something under the water!"

Tyson was grinning as his two friends walked to where he was, floating in the water. "What did you find, Tyson?" Ray asked, kneeling down to Tyson in the water. They have been looking everywhere so far and all of the bricks were solid.

"I found a tunnel in the water," Tyson excitedly looked up at them, waving his arms at them. He was holding onto his cap with his hand. "I think it will lead us somewhere. Come on, jump in!"

Max and Ray both dived into the water. Tyson breathed in and started to swim down. He showed them the way and he showed the tunnel. It was enough for the three of them to swim through it at the same time. There were also lights down there. The light bulbs were behind the glasses. The tunnel went on and on. Soon, they started to run out of air.

_Tyson, you should have check to see how long it was going to be!_ Ray pulled Tyson's leg.

_Don't pull my leg!_ Tyson kicked him away. _I think we're almost there!_

_I wonder when we're going to get there._ Max struggled to keep his breathe in.

Finally the tunnel ended and the three of them rushed out of the water, breathing. They have almost stood at death's door. "T-Tyson… n-n-n-next t-time… make sure… that…" Ray said, but didn't finish it. He started to laugh.

"Whew!" Tyson laughed also, panted. "That was scary!"

"Ah… you guys…" Max looked ahead of them.

"What?" Tyson and Ray looked at him.

Max pointed what was in front of them. There were two bodies. "Isn't that Michael and Ling?" Max squinted his eyes to see the two figures better. Michael and Ling both were unconscious. The two of them were lying down on the ground.

"Hey, it is them!" Tyson rushed over to them.

Ray and Max followed. "I wonder what happen to the two of them…" Ray looked at Max with a confused look. "Maybe they just happen to drop down from somewhere else."

Max nodded. "Maybe."

Tyson kneeled down and shook Michael back and forth. "Yo, Michael! You're alright?" he kept on shaking him back and forth.

Ray looked above him and noticed the hole. They must have fallen from there. Just how far did they come falling before hitting the ground? _I hope it wasn't fatal…_ Ray thought, worried. He bent down beside Ling and positioned her to sit up, his arm supporting her head. "Ling…? Ling?" Ray looked at her. She was still breathing.

Michael opened his eyes. "…Ow," he rubbed his forehead, feeling a little bump there. He sat up and looked at Tyson and the others. "Huh? What are we doing here?" he looked around.

"Hey, you're safe and sound!" Tyson smiled brightly. "You had me worry there!" He punched Michael in the arm.

Max smiled also. Then he notices the pieces of Michael's beyblade. Max picked them up and handed it to Michael. "Thanks," Michael smiled at Max and looked at his beyblade. "Ling!" he remembered. The both of them fell through something and here they were. Michael looked at her who was with Ray. She opened her eyes a moment later. "Good, you're okay…" he sighed in relief.

"You alright?" Ray asked Ling.

She looked at him and the ceiling. Ling slightly nodded. She wanted to stand up and Ray helped her. "Where… where are we?" she looked around the dark area.

"We're somewhere underground," Ray told her. "The mansion have trap doors, so it might take us a while to get out of this place."

Max laughed nervously. "Well, if we have the map of this area, we would have gotten out of here a long time ago."

"A MAP?!" Tyson sharply turned to Max, angry. "You mean there's a map? Does Kai have it? Why didn't he let us know about it?!"

"Why would Kai tell us that?" Michael chuckled, standing up. "You know him, Tyson. You should know why."

Tyson grumbled. He stood up also and started to walk around. "I'm starving…!" he shouted as his voice echoed, throwing his arms up in the air. He was sure he would go crazy if he couldn't get out of the place soon. "Kai! You asshole!!! When I see you, I'll make sure you SUFFERRRRRRR!!!!"

"He lost it," Michael grinned at the others.

----

"Hey, Hiwatari," Hotarubi walked into the kitchen. She had changed her clothes from her wet ones. "Do you know where Emily is?" He was standing in front of the stove and a pot had boiling water in it. Kai didn't turn back to her. She made a blink face, wondering what he was doing. "Are you cooking something?" she crack a smile. She didn't know that he could do 'cook'.

Kai cover his face with his hand from embarrassment. _Damn it, why did she have to walk in on me while I was doing this?_ He still didn't turn to face her.

She noticed the note on the table and walked towards it. "Oh, I see. So Emily had to leave early," she said after reading it and she put the paper back on the table. "I'm supposed to serve dinner. What are you making there? Did Emily make something that you didn't like?"

"Chicken soup."

Hotarubi skipped through the kitchen happily and looked over his shoulders. "Chicken soup?" she asked. Kai hadn't put anything in it yet, just boiling water. How long has he been standing there and waiting? Hotarubi smirked at him, teasing him a bit. "You know how to MAKE soup, Hiwatari?"

"Shut up," Kai glanced at her with a light glare. But then his glare faded away when he notice she seem to be sweating a little and her face was pink. His hand reached to her and the back of his fingers touched her forehead. Hotarubi backed away a bit, wondering what he was doing. He dropped his hand to his side. "If you're not feeling well, you're better off not serving anything tonight. We will all catch your sickness." Kai said.

She touched her forehead with a blush, but she couldn't feel if she was blushing or not. She does feel a little lightheaded. "Well, I thought I was fine, but…" she scratched her face with a sweat drop. "But…"

"This chicken soup… I'm making it for you," Kai looked back at the boiling water. People are sick in the mind as well as the stomach so making chicken soup would be a good idea. The water level was decreasing from boiling too long. He walked to the sink, grabbing a cup and put water in it. He walked back and pour the water into the pot. Kai didn't want to look at her again. He felt like he would… break down from embarrassment if he looked at her now. _Why am I getting… this weird feeling again?_ Kai glared, unable to shake it off.

Hotarubi chuckled, looking at the bag of chicken meat that was beside the stove. "Oh, now I see…" she felt her face warming up again. "You'd need to add a piece of onion, the leafy tops from a couple pieces of celery and some parsley. Do you have that all here?" she looked up at him.

"I think so," Kai walked away and towards the refrigerator. He opened and grabbed every single one she mentioned. "You know how to make chicken soup?" Kai asked, walking back to where she was.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I usually make them myself when one of the kids at home get sick." Hotarubi went and sat down in one of the chairs by the table. "Oh, I heard noises below. Do you know what that was? It sounded like something was broken… Rocks maybe?"

_Must be the Tyson and the others…_Kai smirked but his back was faced to her. "I don't have a clue," he lied. Kai looked at the pot again, wondering what he should do next. He glanced back at Hotarubi, but then turned his head back to the pot. He didn't want to ask her for help since he was the one making it.

"Don't forget to add onion powder, salt, and pepper for taste," she smiled.

----

Tyson was walking ahead of his friends, Michael was behind him, Max walked beside Michael, and Ray was walking with Ling behind the other three. They walked down the tunnel and the water beside them was flowing down the other way. Then suddenly James appeared in front of them, scaring the hell out of them.

"AHHH!" Tyson shouted. He was going to punch it, thinking it was a ghost because this place was supposed to be haunted, but then he realized it was just a person. "Who the hell are you?!" Tyson asked, pounding his chest.

Max chuckled, "Oh. This is James Howe, the butler."

"Did you got lost in this maze too?" Michael walked up to him.

"Actually…" James held up the map. "Master Hiwatari told me to help you all out." He calmly lied. James didn't want Tyson and them to blame Kai for not telling them about the trap doors. This is the least he can do.

"Alright, let's get out of here!" Tyson jumped around excitedly. He forgave Kai already. Tyson somehow came to believe that Kai really did care for his friends. "Finally!"

James looked at the map as Ray and Ling looked over his shoulders to look at it also. "It might take us a while to really get out of here," Ray said, looking at Tyson who suddenly drop dead on the ground.

Tyson's stomach was growling. He started to feel like crying. The pain was getting worst and he needed food fast. "I don't care how long it takes, let's just get out of here," Tyson said.

Ling stared at the map. There seem to be a way from there around the corner where they can start off. She looked at it more and pointed to the map. "Let's go here," she suggested. "Not that way though because if we did it'll lead us outside of the mansion. I remember seeing the dark clouds before falling in here so it could be raining."

"Really?" Ray looked at her.

Michael rubbed his chin. "Oh yeah, I think I remember seeing clouds also. Okay, let's go where Ling think we should then. I wouldn't want to go outside when it's raining. I'm sick of rain."

"I love the rain," Ling quietly said.

"Well…" James turned around, facing the path where Ling pointed out. "Let's go then. Dinner probably is cold right now."

----

Hotarubi lay on her bed with her eyes open in her dark bedroom. Kai told her to go to her bed after she had helped him how to make the chicken soup. She kept laying her head on the table every time she comes up and tells him how to do it. So where she was, in her bedroom.

Outside, the rain was pouring down. She started to touch the bandage is over her head, wondering if the cut will hurt if she touches it. Just a little bit. She sighed, turning to her side and looked out the window. Later she grabbed her white beyblade from the desk next to her bed where she put it and stared at it for a while. There was another beyblade on her desk as well and it was a light blue beyblade.

"Are Tyson and them going to be strike next?" Hotarubi asked herself. She was really sad and worried. She needed more time to think what she should do. "The Zodiac's Vessels… Are we going to attack Tyson soon?" she crawled up in the bed, hugging her legs. She asked herself that again in her thoughts, over and over. Hotarubi felt helpless, but if it was going to be soon she has to think of something fast. She doesn't want to hurt her friends. Not one of them.

She turned her head to look at the window. A lightning flashed. Hotarubi quickly sat up on her bed when she saw a hooded person standing on the branch of the tree. The same person. The girl with the long icy blue hair and dark violet eyes. She moved her lips to form her words. "Meet me at usual place tomorrow at noon." Then the girl jumped down.

"Fukayna…?" Hotarubi was shock to see her again. What did she want to see her for? Hotarubi clutched her white beyblade in her hand, now she was even more worried. "Is it already almost time to get the Blade Breakers' bit beasts already?" Hotarubi wondered, feeling like tears were about to fall from her eyes.

"Kita," Kai slowly opened the door from outside of the room.

Hotarubi looked back at the light blue beyblade and hid the two beyblades under her sheets. "Don't you know how to knock?" she glared when the door was completely opened. "What happens when you walk in when I'm changing?!"

Kai looked irritated, holding a tray of a bowl of chicken soup and a sliver spoon. "Then lock your door, idiot," he said, walking to her and placed the tray on her lap.

"You should always knock though," she pouted. Then she sniffed. "Ah, smells pretty good for your first time," she chuckled, grabbing the spoon.

"Be quiet and eat it," he grabbed a chair from the desk and sat on it. He put his elbow on the desk and his cheek is on his hand and looked at her. Kai had to stay there until she was down eating. He didn't know when Tyson and the others would show up because if they did, Kai will make Tyson bring back the bowl downstairs.

She started to eat, but slowly since it was still hot. Hotarubi took a scoop and blew softly on it to cool down and she ate it. She smiled, enjoying the taste of soup. She looked at Kai who was watching at her. "What?" she looked at him suspiciously.

He looked away. "Nothing," he said. _If only she smiled often…_ Kai thought to himself.

Hotarubi continued eating, ignoring him. They were quiet and she finished. "Here," she handed him the tray with the bowl and spoon on it. Her head was starting to feel a little better now. "Thanks." Kai grabbed it and stood up. "Hiwatari…" she looked up at him.

"What?"

"If I'm always sick like this…" Hotarubi rubbed the back of her head. "Will you always make chicken soup for me?" It seem that during times like this, they can were a bit friendlier towards each other. That would make Tyson happy to see that they were like this. _Oh, where is Tyson?_ She just realized.

"No," Kai turned to walk out of the room. "I'm just doing this because the others are not around. This is the first and last time I'll make it for anyone."

Hotarubi glared at him. "Fine, whatever. It didn't taste that good anyway!" She quickly lies on her bed and cover her whole body with her sheet. " I can't ever get along someone like you anyway. Stupid Tyson, making friends with cold-hearted people." She faced the window but she could see his reflection, which irritated her more. Hotarubi closed her eyes.

Kai looked back at her. He didn't say anything and closed the door behind him. Walking down the hallway, he heard faint voices behind him. He turned his head around. There shouldn't be anyone around up on this floor. Kai walked towards the voices, listening where it was coming from. He thought it sounded like it was coming from Hotarubi's room, but it wasn't. Kai walked on, but then the voices faded away. He stood very still for a moment, thinking to himself. "Well," he turned around and headed to where the stairs were. He took his time walking. "This is supposed to haunted mansion. That could explain those voices."

He walked down the stairs and then to the kitchen. He put the bowl in the sink. Kai sighed. He felt depressed. There's like a hole in his heart, there was something missing in his life. There hadn't been any more beyblade tournaments lately. He wanted to use his Dranzer. Kai yearn to fight along with his bit beast again. He smirked, "Those Zodiacs' Vessels better be worth while."

Later, Kai had his dinner and headed for bed. All of the lights were off when he left the first floor.

"Whoa!" Tyson felt out of a large cabinet. He tripped and fell on the kitchen floor. He smiled happily. "We're here!"

"Thank god," Michael sighed heavily, walking around Tyson. "Who knew that this cabinet also lead the floor down there. Well, let's find something to eat!" Michael hurried.

Tyson quickly stand up and raced through the kitchen. Max yawned and walked out of the cabinet, Ray and Ling followed. James sighed in relief that everything went along smoothly. _I better head back home too._ James brushed his hair back, leaving the group.

"Wanna play food fight?" Michael asked with a grin, searching for the lights.

"No!" Tyson said, glaring at him. "I'm gonna eat ALL of them! And I'm not letting it ALL go to waste!"

Ray, Max, and Ling watch the both of them as they rushed through their food. They walked around the table and took their seats. Tyson gladly started to serve the dinner for everyone.

**­­­------**


	10. Cute?

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**­­­****------**

**My Words, Your Words**

_**Story written by:**_** the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 10 – Cute?**

Night slipped by fast and it was already morning. Ling was in the bathroom, washing her face with the warm water. "I wonder where Asuli is…" she turned off the water. She looked at herself in the mirror and brushed her long silver hair. After a while, Ling opened the bathroom door to leave. "Oh," she looked at Hotarubi who was standing out there after opening the door.

"Oh," Hotarubi smiled. She was just going to open the door. "Morning, Ling."

Ling smiled back. "Good morning." She walked out and head back to her room.

Hotarubi followed her. "Wait, Ling!" she called. Ling stopped walking and looked back at her. Hotarubi handed the light blue beyblade. "I saw it in a golden furred dog's mouth so I went and got it back for you," she smiled nervously, remembering how the rain was pouring down from the sky.

"Oh, thank you," she smiled brightly. "I thought I lost it!" Ling looked at the beyblade. There was a picture of a white furred dog with blue stripes on it's back and it had silver eyes on it. "Welcome back, Asuli." She smiled in relief. Then she looked at Hotarubi. "Any word from Fukayna?" she asked.

"…Yeah," Hotarubi sweat dropped. "I'm going to see her at the usual spot at noon."

Ling looked at her with disappointed eyes. "So… she doesn't want to see me. I guess I am useless," Ling walked away.

"No, you're not," Hotarubi said. Ling didn't respond and kept on walking. Hotarubi nervously rubbed the back of her head. "I mean it, Ling. You're more useful than you think… more than me." Hotarubi bit her lower lip. _I can never do anything right…_ she sighed, combing her teal hair with her fingers. Hotarubi turned around and closed the bathroom door behind her.

----

"Good morning, Master Hiwatari," Emily bowed when Kai walked into the kitchen.

Kai looked at her and then around the area. He sighed, "Where's Kita? Haven't she learn about the rules around here yet and how to get down here at the same time as you?" It was time to make breakfast and still Hotarubi was not here to help Emily out. _What was I thinking when I let her work here?_ Kai asked himself, regretting it.

Emily sweat dropped. She touched her short brown hair, trying to think back if she was supposed to tell Hotarubi about the rules. "I'm not sure," she said, bowing again. "My apologies."

Max walked into the kitchen at the other door with a yawn. Kai noticed him and asked, "Hey, Max. Did you not tell Kita?"

"Tell her what?" Max looked at Kai, a bit clueless. Kai just glared at him so Max looked at Emily. She smiled nervously and Max sharply looked back at Kai, also with a nervous smile. "Oh that! Sorry, there just wasn't time to go over it with Hotarubi. I'll let her know and begin her training. Today."

"Alright then," Kai turned, leaving the kitchen. Tyson walked by him. "Whoa, Tyson. You're up early today." Kai was surprised to see Tyson at this hour. It was unusual. Has he finally start getting up like a man?

Tyson yawned. Even he is up early, he felt really tired and his eyes were half open. "Yeah… I… I couldn't fall asleep when I woke up a couple of hours ago after dreaming about something… Eh? I don't remember what I was dreaming about… Huh, oh well," Tyson scratched his face and slowly walked into the kitchen, feeling really thirty.

Kai looked at Tyson's back. He had no idea what Tyson was mumbling about and headed across the living room.

Hotarubi was on the second floor and when she came up to the stairs, she smiled excitedly. She lightly jumped on the stair rail and start sliding down to the first floor on it. "Hehe…" she smiled to herself, feeling free from her troubles for a moment. But then she notice Kai who had just walked out where the living room was. Hotarubi gasped, "Out of the way!"

She was already flying in the air and she's falling right towards him. Kai didn't react fast enough and she fell on him, his head banging on the floor. "The fuck?" he groaned, reaching for his head where he slammed against the hard tiled floor. He glared at the teal hair girl who was laying over him, giving him a weak look. "Kita…" he hissed her last name quietly. If his friends saw this, he'll never hear the end of it.

"My bad…" Hotarubi quickly got off and stood up, blushing a bit. Then she glared, "I told you to get out of the way."

Kai glared at her as he stood up. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. "This mansion isn't a playground, Kita," he told her.

Hotarubi shook his hand away, glaring back. "I know. I'm sorry. Who knew that you were right there?" she took a step back away from him, sticking her tongue out.

"Humph," he walked away.

"What? That's it?" she watched him walk away. "You're not going to say anything else? Not going to talk back?" Kai didn't answer and he had gone to another room. Hotarubi tapped her chin, wondering what happen to him for acting different from before. _Maybe someone like him can change._ She thought to herself, rubbing the back of her head. It hasn't been long that they have meant, but it felt like they were fighting for ages.

"Were you two arguing again?" Tyson walked behind Hotarubi.

She turned to face him. She laughed, waving her hand at him "Yeah, sort of," she replied. "And good morning, Tyson."

"Morning…" Tyson smiled. "So… what do you hate about Kai? Why can't you two just GET ALONG?"

Hotarubi looked at Tyson for a moment with a blink face. She shrugged. "I really don't know why… but he kind of reminds me of somebody who I use to hate a lot back when I was younger."

"You should get to know Kai more," Tyson suggested with a grin. "Don't compare him to anyone else. He's a great friend. I know you won't regret it if you just try to be nicer."

"Nicer?" she flattened her eyes at him. Tyson made it sound like she was the one who was causing the tension between them. Hotarubi was going to say something but give another second thought. She laughed, "I guess you're right. But… I think he looks cute when he's mad, now that I think about it."

Tyson's eyes popped out, shock. "What? Kai?! Cute?!" he grabbed her shoulders and shook her back and forth. "What's so cute about him?" he asked. "And don't tell me that is your reason for not getting along with him."

Hotarubi laughed again. "Maybe… maybe… You're cute when you're mad too, Tyson," she told him.

"I didn't ask about that!" he slightly blushed at her. "What do you find Kai cute? Just when he gets mad?"

"Something like that," she looked away with a smirk. "I didn't say that I like him, did I? Why are you so nosy about?"

Tyson put his hands to his sides, shrugging a little. "Nothing," he said, scratching his face. "But if you do think that way… can you try not to annoy him too much?"

"I'm just being honest with my feelings, Tyson," Hotarubi patted on his shoulder. "Not everyone can get along with everyone, right? Didn't you use to not get along with Hiwatari too?"

He looked at Hotarubi, silent. "…Something like that," Tyson said. He remembered how he first time he met Kai.

Hotarubi beamed and nudged him. "See?" she said.

"But we get along now," Tyson countered. "All you two need is some kind of dramatic event to happen. Maybe that way, you two will come to understand each other and even become friends. Great, huh?"

"Never in this life time," she slapped his arm with the back of her hand. It didn't sound like a good idea.

"Yo, Tyson," some guy called from the stairs. "When's breakfast?"

Tyson and Hotarubi both looked where the voice came from. Michael smirked as he walked down the stairs and Steven was behind him. "Is that…?" Hotarubi eyes started to sparkle. "Michael and Steven?!" Now she was starting to jump from joy. "Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!!"

"Looks like I got a fan," Michael smiled at Hotarubi. Steven didn't say anything as they approach her and Tyson on the first floor.

Hotarubi took a big step and introduced herself. "Morning! I'm Hotarubi Kita and I just started working here! I'm eighteen by the way. It's going to be so awesome working in this mansion now that you guys are here!" She jumped in front of Steven and she started to chat with him.

Tyson grumbled and looked at Hotarubi who was getting excited just over these two guys. "What's so great about them?" he asked her. She didn't act the same way when they both first met.

"Can you throw a football at me?" she asked Steven. She didn't hear what Tyson asked and looked at Michael. "Let's go and play ball you guys! Is that alright?"

Steven looked at Michael who looked back at him. They both shrugged. "Uh…" they both stared at her.

"Hotarubi," Max walked in on them. "Sorry, but there's no time for that. You need to start cooking breakfast with Emily right away." Hotarubi looked at him with a disappointed look. She nodded and hurried off to the kitchen.

Steven watched her go and looked at Max. "Weird cute fan girl there," he commented.

Max nodded with a chuckle. "I know, but that's how she is," he said.

"Is she friends with you guys?" Michael asked out of curiosity.

"Yep," Tyson nodded, showing that he was proud of it. He smiled, "Hotarubi is my childhood friend."

Michael smirked. "You say that, but is that all you think of her?" Tyson looked at him with a confused look. Michael crossed his arms. "Childhood friend doesn't last, Tyson. Especially with a girl." Michael said. "Don't you have, like, a crush on her or something back then? No history between the two of you? Hm?"

"Why are you asking about that?" Tyson slightly blushed, lightly glaring at him.

Max nervously laughed and patted on Tyson's shoulder when he walked up to him. "Michael is just kidding. Don't think about it too much," Max told him.

Tyson pouted.

----

"Hotarubi," Max knocked on her bedroom door.

An hour had already passed and she was just hanging around in her room. Kai seemed unhappy even after doing her job with Emily and it pissed her off. Hotarubi opened the door and smiled at Max. But it suddenly her smile turned upside down when she saw what he was holding. A blue and black maid's dress. "Am I supposed to wear… that thing?" she asked, looking disgust.

He nodded. "Yeah. This is your work outfit. You know, just so we know who works here."

"But you guys KNOW that I do," Hotarubi pouted. She didn't like wearing dressing and anything that deals with skirts.

Max nodded. "Yes, we do. But if Kai brings a guess here or when someone comes, we want him or her to know who works here. Come on, try it on." He held it up to her. Hotarubi slammed the door in his face. "Hotarubi?" Max blinked.

"I refuse to wear it," she said.

"If you don't, Kai might make a big deal out of it," Max told her. "He might even fire you."

Hotarubi opened her door again. She looked at Max's smiling face with another pout. He had a point. She needed to remain in the mansion because she was ordered to. She didn't really agree with it, but she needed some money also. "You're lucky that you're so cute," she grabbed it with a light glare.

"Oh, when you're done," Max said before she closed the door. "Meet me downstairs so I can tell you about the rules around the house. Uh, I mean the mansion."

"Yes, yes," she nodded, closing the door. "Understood." She waited until she heard his footsteps going away. Hotarubi sighed and looked at the dress and then threw it on her bed. "I will never wear skirts for the rest of my life," she glared. As much as she loves to cut it up into pieces, Hotarubi decides to leave. She had to leave to meet Fukayna anyway. She opened her window and climbed on the tree and headed down. "I'm so glad I have a tree near my room," she grinned and jumped on the ground when she was close enough. Hotarubi looked back up at the window and then ran.

**­­­****------**


	11. The Warning

**Disclaimer: Beyblade is licensed by Nelvana. Takao Aoki made the manga and it is published in English in North America by VIZ Media. In other words, not by me, I did not create Beyblade.**

**The only things that I do own are my original characters.**

**­­­****------**

**My Words, Your Words**

_**Story written by:**_** the sound of the bells**

**Chapter 11 – The Warning**

Thirty minutes passed ever since Max had gone up to Hotarubi's room and told her to change. "What's taking her so long?" Max wondered, standing around in the living room. Tyson and Ray were in there, watching TV.

"Who?" Ray asked, looking at Max. "Ling or Hotarubi?"

Max scratched his face. "I told Hotarubi to wear her work outfit, but she hadn't come down for a while now. You know, like what Emily is wearing."

"What?" Tyson turned his head at Max. "You gave her a dress? She'll never wear one!" he slapped his forehead as if Max should have known that. "Hotarubi probably ran off somewhere… like the way she use to do it."

"Really?" Max's eyes widen. He was surprised that a girl would actually do that. "I'll go and check on her." Max said, running up the stairs.

Tyson shouted after him, "It's already too late! She's probably long gone by now!" Tyson waited for Max to come back down the stairs. And he did. Tyson smiled at Max, "See?"

Ray chuckled, "You say that she will never wear skirts. Why is that, Tyson?"

"Well, um," Tyson sweat dropped. "You know, she use to be a tomboy and… and… I sort of did something that really made her so mad at me that she wouldn't even talk to me for four whole weeks, nearly a month." Tyson started to laugh nervously.

"What did you do?" Max asked. "What did you do that made her stop wearing them?"

"Er…" Tyson looked back at the TV. "I don't want to talk about."

Ray stared at Tyson, guessing what he might have done. "Did you lift up her skirt?" Ray questioned.

"NO!" Tyson shouted, blushing.

"Oh, Tyson," Max sighed. He's disappointed in his friend.

Tyson glared at them. "Geez, I'm sorry for doing that in front of the other boys. I mean, we were just kids! It was FUNNY back then!"

"In front of a crowd too?" Ray couldn't believe it. It must have been wild when Tyson was a kid then. Hotarubi must have been annoyed or either just picking fights with him. Ray stood up to leave, getting some fresh air outside. He took a step out and looked at the gates. It was closed. _How did Hotarubi run when the gates are locked?_ Ray wondered. She doesn't have the key so she still could be around here somewhere. He hoped that she didn't fall into the trap doors or anything like that. He shrugged it off and leaned against the mansion.

Kai walked into the living room and looked at Max. "Did you tell Kita yet?" Kai asked.

Max nervously laughed. "Uh, she sort of ran off when I told her to come down to wear the maid dress," he explained.

Kai glared at him. "Tell her, if she keeps doing that, I'll fire her. Who does she think is she? A freeloader?"

----

Hotarubi sneezed. "Some guy must be talking about me," she giggled. She was walking on the sidewalk, walking pass people. "Hiwatari might be mad at me for doing something like that," she thought about running away from work like that. "I'm going to have to start listening to him before he fires me. Climbing over that gate took me more than four minutes, why is it so high?" she glared. "Someone could have seen me too… but I guess I'm fine now that I'm here." Hotarubi decided to wonder around more before she leave and meet Fukayna. Hotarubi smiled when she thought where she wanted to go. She started to walk faster.

She reached to the same homeless shelter, her home. Hotarubi smiled happily and hurried to the little garden of the tulips. "I'm back," she told them, kneeling down to take a closer look at them. It seems like it was safe after the storm hit last time. She stood up and walked into the building. She looked at the woman with the brown hair and eyes. "Good morning, is Alex still sleeping?" Hotarubi asked.

The woman looked up at her from reading the papers. "Oh, Hotarubi Kita," she smiled at her. "Nice to see you again. Oh, Alexander left already."

"What?" she leaned against the front desk. "Where did he go?"

"I'm sorry," she smiled again. "He didn't say."

"Oh…" Hotarubi was depressed again. "Thanks," she left the building. Hotarubi walked around again. "Where could he be?" she wondered, warping herself with her arms. Hotarubi wanted to see him again since it was been a while. She wanted to be in his warm arms and wanted him to cheer her up. "When I see you, I'm going to beat you up!" She stomped, angry. _I guess I can just go there early and wait for Fukayna…_ she nodded at the thought.

Hotarubi continued to walk on. Time passed again. She looked up at the building with a sigh. "Well, here I am," she said. This was the same building where she had come to look for a job. Where that man Daiki Swift owns the place. Hotarubi looked around to see if any one was around and went into the alley near the building. It's a pretty tall building so she had to be careful not to let anyone see her. Meeting Fukayna here was dangerous because it's where the people who are trying to find out about the Zodiacs' Vessels, but one of the safest places to meet.

She reached to the back door, but she didn't enter. Looking up above her, there were metal stairs but it was quite far away over her. She grabbed her beyblade. "Hey, wake up, Asudem," Hotarubi said to her white beyblade. The image on the beyblade lightly glowed and the bit beast within slowly came out of it, growing bigger. "Ah, don't enlarge yourself, Asudem!" Hotarubi panicked. "You'll make everything crumble."

The blue snake with golden yellow eyes stopped growing and looked at Hotarubi. "What do you want me to do?" a deep voice asked. The snake's body length was more than 30 feet and it's width is 2 feet. Hotarubi had a sweat drop over her head, wondering if anyone would notice him since he was so big.

"Take me up to that stairway up there," she pointed, smiling at him. "That's all."

Asudem sighed. "Not much of a challenge, Hotarubi." He wanted to do something more.

Hotarubi set her hand on Asudem's head. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find something that is more challenging someday." She patted on his head. "I'm meeting with Fukayna. Will you please help me with this simple task and take me up there?"

The snake moved away and laid his head low next to her. "As you wish…"

"Thank you," she smiled and got on. Hotarubi held onto him as they both headed up. It was only a mere second and she got off of him, standing on the metal that would lead all the way to the top of the building. "I'll call you again when I need you, Asudem," she touched his head again. He nodded. The snake body begins to take a smaller form and faded away. Hotarubi grabbed her beyblade that was floating in mid air.

Suddenly, someone jumped in front of Hotarubi. "Hey," a little boy greeted with an emotionless face. "Glad to see that you're here early. Hotarubi."

Hotarubi was going to fall off when he just unexpectedly jumped near her. "Ice…" she looked at the longhaired boy. His hair long and black with white highlights. His cold gray eyes stared at her. "You're here too?" she asked him.

Ice jumped and climbed his way up. "Fukayna is… waiting," he told her. He flipped around the bars and went up ahead of her.

"…" She was nervous. Her body was shaking, she could feel that there were three members of the Zodiacs' Vessels were up there, including Ice. _I wonder what they are up to…_ Hotarubi thought. She had no choice but to see them now. She took a step and another, taking her time before she meets them.

----

"Kai, can I use your car?" Tyson asked, itching to do something.

"No," Kai said. He was switching the channel back and forth while Tyson was whining in his ears. Max, Michael, and Steven happen to in the living room with them as well.

Tyson was standing in way of Kai's view from watching the TV. "I'm bored. I'm sick of staying in the… 'haunted' mansion now. I heard whispers last night too! I need to wonder outside!" Tyson said, waving his arms around like he was about to go crazy.

"Then go outside yourself," Kai told him. "I'm not letting you use my car."

"I'm not going to break it!"

"That's what I'm afraid off," Kai looked at Tyson with a light glare. "Why don't you go and explore the trap doors? I'm sure you will find a lot of things to do down there." Kai never asked how they got out; he could assume that James could have helped them. It didn't really matter because Kai doesn't care about it much now.

Tyson grunted. "Yeah, sure. And starve to death?"

"Forget about the car, Tyson," Michael snickered. "You can just walk. And I'll come along with you since there isn't really ANYTHING to do around here."

"…" Tyson looked at Michael with blank look.

Steven looked at Kai. "Oh, I forgot to tell you something." Kai looked at him. "It's already too late, but I'm just letting you know. Mr. Swift told Judy and I to tell you to go in early. He will be leaving for a funeral today and tomorrow."

Kai turned off the TV and glared at him. "Why did you forget?" Kai asked.

"It's not like I wanted to remember," Steven smirked. "You can always see him anyway, so I didn't really bother to tell you."

Max sweat dropped. "What about mom? Didn't she remember?"

"I told her I'll tell Kai," Steven shrugged.

Kai turned around. "Tyson, Max, tell Ray we're leaving." Kai walked into the kitchen. "We're going to see Daiki right now!"

"Can I drive then?" Tyson asked, hopeful.

"No!" Kai shouted.

Michael and Steven watched them as they paced around. "Then what about us?" Michael asked out loud. "What are we supposed to do?"

Steven walked towards the front door. He had an idea where he wanted to go. "I'm going to check on Eddy and Emily," he told Michael. "Want to come along?"

"Sure," Michael smiled. He hoped his other two friends would wake up soon. What was taking them so long to get up? The two of them headed out the door and closed it.

Emily locked the front door and looked around. Max was grabbing Ray's arm, practically running down the stairs. They waved to her and hurried to the back door. Emily smiled and waved back. "Come back safely," she told them as the back door slam closed.

The four of them got in the car and Kai hurried and drove off. "What the big deal, Kai?" Ray asked. The both of them were sitting in the front while Max and Tyson sat in the back. "Max told me about Daiki leaving for a funeral so why are you rushing? He probably already left."

Kai hit the break when the red light went on. "The sooner, the better," Kai replied. "We need to use all the time we need to prepare ourselves before anything else happen to a bey blader." The green light lit up and he continues driving straight. "I'm getting suspicious of Kita." Kai said.

"What?!" Tyson leaned closer between Kai and Ray. Max backed away when Tyson bolted forward. "Kai, how can you say that?"

"It's just a feeling, Tyson," he glared. "And I trust my instincts more than you think I do."

Tyson glared at him. "You just don't FEEL something and think what it is, Kai! I know Hotarubi and she would never…"

"When did you last see her when you were a child then?" Kai asked, getting frustrated with him. "She lives in a homeless shelter where children no longer have families! Kita could have chosen a path on her own records. Remember that you ask what happen to her family? She never answered. Anything could have happened."

Tyson leaned back, clutching his teeth. "I know… but we don't have the proof yet so I don't want you to accuse her of anything."

Ray looked at Tyson, taking sides with Kai. "And remember that she say that she met one of the members of the Zodiacs' Vessels? You say she was honest, right? Hotarubi never finish talking about it either. She could be hiding something."

"…" Tyson looked at Ray with a glare. Tyson looked at Max who just had an uneasy smile on his face. "Maybe… maybe, but… she can't be stealing any bit beasts out there…" Tyson put his hand over his face, not wanting to even believe his friends. "There's just no way."

Max slightly smiled and patted on Tyson's shoulder. "You must really love her, Tyson," Max said, understanding what he was feeling right now. "I'm sure there is an explanation for it. But don't worry, we won't arrest her or anything until we know. So, relax."

Tyson felt like he was fighting back his tears. _Hotarubi… I just hope you have nothing to do any part of the enemy…_ Tyson said in his head.

"What's going on?" Kai glared, hitting the breaks again. He has drove rather fast and the building where Daiki owned was just about a few blocks away. All of the cars have stopped and people were all looking up at the same building where Kai wanted to reach. Kai got out of the car and looked at the top of the building. The wind was strong and it felt like it was coming from up there.

Ray also got out. "What the…?" he blocked the sunlight over his head. Tyson and Max got out of the car and walked in front of Ray and Kai. Ray looked at Kai with a questioned face. "What do you think is going on up there?" Ray asked.

"I don't know," Kai glared. "But I have a bad feeling about it…"

"…aaaaaaAAAAAHHHHHH!" a female's voice cried out loud in pain.

"Hotarubi…?" Tyson's eyes widen with fear. That was her voice. Tyson started to run, pushing people out of his way. "Hotarubi!" Tyson shouted. "Move! Out of the way!" he yelled angrily at them. Tyson ran and ran. The people send him a light glare when he pushed them. The wind blew his cap off, but he didn't stop. All of the people were talking so loud about what was going on that Tyson couldn't hear himself calling Hotarubi over and over.

Kai, Ray, and Max were running right behind him. Some of the people backed away because the wind was getting stronger. They were only about a block away now, but then the wind just suddenly stopped. Kai looked at the top of the building and notice someone was falling off the building. "Kita!" Kai recognize the teal hair. She was falling, falling down in front of the building. There was also blood. He can clearly see that she had cuts over her body.

"No, Hotarubi!" Tyson grabbed his Dragoon. "GO! DRAGOON!!" Tyson shouted when he launched his beyblade as it spin way ahead of them. "SAVE HER!!!" Tyson pleaded, shouting at the top of his lungs.

The wind picked up around Dragoon, people all ran from the sudden powerful wind that just suddenly appeared. The wind lifted up towards Hotarubi and she slowly fell. Tyson ran faster so he can go and catch her. He didn't know if he would make it since she was already near the ground and she was still falling down pretty fast. Everything started to look like it was in slow motion and everything seemed to fade away. Tyson's only focus was Hotarubi.

"Hotaru!!" another worried voice shouted behind Tyson. A red haired guy ran right past Tyson, running even faster. Before the red hair guy did ran pass him, Tyson looked at his green eyes. He seems to be more worried than Tyson was. Tyson slowed down, panting.

The red haired guy caught Hotarubi before she hit the ground. He sat her on the ground, calling to her. "Are you alright, Hotaru?" he asked. "Hey, Hotaru?!"

Hotarubi slowly opened her eyes. There were cuts on her arms, shoulders, legs, and a small one on her lips. She was bleeding. Even the cut over her forehead reopened itself and started to bleed as well. She looked up at the red hair eye with sad eyes. _This is a warning, Kita._ Hotarubi remember Fukayna's cold, merciless voice in her head. _If you don't corporate with us, I'll make sure Asuyu eat you up and make everyone you love back at the homeless shelter suffer._

Tyson stood where he was, staring at the two of them. His three friends stopped running and stood beside Tyson. The four of them were breathing back and forth. Dragoon went back to Tyson and he picked his beyblade up.

"Hotaru!"

"Shut up," Hotarubi closed her eyes, painfully. "I… thought that I… told you not to… call me that… Alex." She said with a little chuckled, but her body ached. Tears ran down her face from the extreme pain on her body.

"That's Alex?" Tyson thought out loud. He shook his head and walked up to them. "We have to hurry and get her to the hospital." Tyson told Alex.

Alex looked at him. "Call them then!" he said, nearly glaring. "Hotaru… Hotarubi is going to lose her blood if we wait any longer!"

Tyson nodded. "Right. I'll go call them."

"No, we'll just have to drive there," Kai told them. The two guys looked at him. "It'll be faster if we just go now than waiting for an ambulance to come by. I'll take her there."

"But Kai," Ray protested. "The traffic is…"

"I'll just honk," Kai told him.

Max nervously smiled at Kai. "Honk, huh? Uh, anyway, let us hurry then." He turned around and headed back to where Kai's car was. Ray hurried also.

Alex carried Hotarubi to Tyson. "Take her to the car. I'm sure there's only room for five, right?" he asked and Tyson nodded. "I have a motorcycle, I'll follow you guys to the hospital."

"Okay," Tyson held his arms to Alex and Hotarubi was handed over to him. "I'll see you there then… Alex." The red haired nodded and ran to where his motorcycle was. Tyson looked at Kai. "Let's hurry, Kai."

"Uh, yeah…" Kai said as he watches Tyson quickly walking back. Kai glared and looked back up that the roof of the building. _That wind… Who did this to Kita? If a bit beast did that… I wonder…_ Kai grunted, unable to go and find out about it. He followed Tyson.

On the roof, the hooded girl walked near the edge and looked down at Hotarubi who was being carried off with Tyson. Fukayna turned around and walked pass Ice and another girl who had long hair. "Let's go," Fukayna said without looking at them.

Ice had his arms crossed. He looked at the girl who had long light brown hair, the hair length was pass her back, and she had brown eyes. The girl looked like she was at the age of 14. She looked back at Ice and the both of them stared at each other for a moment and looked back where Hotarubi had fell. The white beyblade was laying there about a couple of years away from them. "You think we should bring that along with us?" the fourteen year old girl asked Ice.

"…Yeah," he nodded slowly. Ice went and picked it up. "We'll give it back to Hotarubi when we attack. If she does decide to even agree to our plan." He walked up to her and gives her a bored look. "Well… let's go, Palma."

Palma nodded. The both of their emotionless looks turned to Fukayna's back and they followed her.

**------**


End file.
